Smooth-running Afghan election raises questions about Taliban’s strength
Failure to significantly disrupt the vote raises questions about the capacity of the insurgents to tip the nation back into chaos as foreign troops head home
A bigger-than-expected turnout in Afghanistan’s presidential election and the Taliban’s failure to significantly disrupt the vote have raised questions about the capacity of the insurgents to tip the country back into chaos as foreign troops head home.
Last Friday, on the eve of the election, Anja Niedringhaus, a German Associated Press photojournalist, was killed, and her Canadian colleague, Kathy Gannon, wounded after they were shot by a policeman in eastern Afghanistan. Gannon is now stable and recovering in hospital.
The attack took place in the town of Khost, near the border with Pakistan, as the journalists were travelling in a convoy of vehicles carrying election workers and ballots to outlying areas in Tani district. The area is close to Pakistan’s lawless North Waziristan region, where many al-Qaeda and Taliban-linked militants are based.
The two had arrived in a heavily guarded district compound. As they sat in car, waiting for the convoy to move off, a policeman walked up to the car, yelled “Allahu Akbar” – God is Great – and opened fire with his AK-47 rifle.
He then surrendered to the other police and was arrested.
The Taliban claimed that they staged more than 1,000 attacks and killed dozens during Saturday’s election day.
I congratulate all Afghans for this successful and historic election; people participated beyond our expectations.
