Afghanistan hires 10,000 tribesmen to secure polls

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Source: AP

Afghanistan hires 10,000 tribesmen to secure polls

By RAHIM FAIEZ (AP) – 4 hours ago

KABUL — Authorities have hired some 10,000 Afghan tribesmen to protect this month's presidential election, an Afghan official said Tuesday, raising the possibility that village militias could be enlisted to fight against the Taliban.

The hired guns highlight attempts by authorities to bolster security in Afghanistan's insurgency-hit provinces but also underscore a renewed focus on raising tribal militias to deal with the growing Taliban threat just as Sunni Arab militias were engaged to help reduce violence in Iraq.

The new force will initially help secure polling centers in 21 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces during the Aug. 20 election, said Arif Noorzai, the head of the Independent Directorate for the Protection of Public Properties and Highways by Tribal Support.

"We are trying to provide security for the polling centers and pave the way for the people to participate in the elections," Noorzai said. "They are filling the places where there are no police or the government has a shortage of security forces."

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