A top Afghan official has warned that security must improve in lawless regions of southern Afghanistan if elections to bring this war-shattered nation a long-promised glimpse of democracy are to proceed in June as planned.
The comments by Foreign Minister Abdullah came Tuesday amid concerns over Taliban attacks, and slow progress in setting up a national army that could help stop the violence that's continued for more than two years after US-led forces ousted the hardline Islamic regime.
The government of US-backed President Hamid Karzai still has little control beyond the capital, Kabul, because of powerful warlords with private militias -- some of whom hold key positions in his administration -- and the Taliban-led insurgents.
Abdullah, who like many Afghans uses only one name, conceded that keeping to the June schedule for elections -- mandated in the country's first post-Taliban constitution adopted last month -- required better security in areas where insurgents are most active.
"Of course, we need to focus on improving security in some areas in southern Afghanistan more than we have done so far with the help of the international community," he said. "That effort is needed to make sure that elections are on time."
The UN, which is supporting the elections, has warned that holding the poll in June would be an unrealistic without vastly greater security measures.
So far, only about 900,000 of the estimated 10.5 million eligible voters have registered as part of a UN-backed campaign, all of them in Kabul and seven other major cities -- not remote areas where security problems are greatest.
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