KABUL: Afghanistan’s government began stepping up security measures on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s presidential elections as Taliban insurgents repeated their threat to disrupt the vote.
Security forces have stopped the flow of trucks bound for Kabul and have banned vehicle use in some areas of the country as part of the measures, residents said.
Hundreds of soldiers and police checked vehicles and passengers in sections of Kabul on Thursday, searching for Taliban fighters and shipments of ammunition to the city.
Kabul’s police chief, Sayed Roshandil, said that 30,000 troops were providing security at polling centers in the capital.
More than 40,000 additional security forces have been assigned to security in other parts of the country, officials said.
“We have begun security preparations for the elections 48 hours ahead,” Roshandil said.
Taliban militants have described the vote as a sham and renewed their threat to target the poll.
“We intend to disrupt this fake process of the American invaders and their few servile slaves by attacking all security personnel that guard this process and by targeting offices and centers that operate for this staged show,” a spokesman said.
“All major and minor roads of the country will be closed by mujahideen on election day. We ask our fellow countrymen to refrain from venturing out of their homes on this day so that no one is harmed.”
Traffic movement was reduced in Kabul on Thursday after schools and polling centers were closed ahead of the vote.
The campaign period for the polls ended on Wednesday night with nominees now observing 48 hours of silence.
Three of the 14 nominees are supporting President Ashraf Ghani, who has shared power with his arch rival Abdullah Abdullah after the 2014 vote.
Abdullah, a senior member of one of the factions that fought against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, has the support of some former factional leaders and is considered a front-runner.
Both leaders’ reputations have been tarnished by accusations of inefficiency, failure to bring good governance and to halt the Taliban’s advance.
Polls in the country have been twice delayed because of talks between the Taliban and Washington, raising speculation that the election will be held after US and Taliban brokered a deal to end the war.
President Donald Trump three weeks ago abruptly called off the talks, prompting candidates to speed up their campaigns.
Former President Hamid Karzai and a number of former government leaders this week called for the polls to be delayed again, saying the election lacks legitimacy and will deepen divisions in Afghanistan.
“We cannot conduct elections in a country that is going through a foreign-imposed conflict. We are in a war of foreign objectives and interests,” Karzai said.
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