Insecurity Worries Parliamentary Candidates: IEC

Three parliamentary elections candidates and 13 of their campaigners have been killed or wounded so far, IEC officials say

Officials in the Independent Elections Commission (IEC) citing security threats posing the parliamentary elections candidates, say they have registered 16 security threat cases so far.

In a latest of such incidents, a candidate in the north of Afghanistan came under attack on Tuesday in which his bodyguard was wounded.

"Militants have increased influence in Faryab province recently, and security forces have also shown weakness in controlling the situation," Mohammad Hashim, a candidate from the northern Faryab province, told TOLOnews.

Members of the Parliamentary Elections Candidates' Independent Group severely criticised the removal of some candidates' names from the parliamentary elections list.

"The purpose for the establishment of this group is to obtain the rights of all members of this group and unfortunately it was announced last night that Mr Amarkhil was removed from the list of the candidates," Abdul Hameed Islampur, a candidate for the parliamentary elections told TOLOnews reporter.

"We feel sad that the mafia has so deeply influenced the Independent Elections Commission that delists an honest man in the country from the candidates list," he added.

The Parliamentary Elections Candidates' Independent Group in a statement, blamed the Independent Elections Commission and the Electoral Complaints Commission for violating the Afghan constitution and the elections laws, and has urged authorities to listen to their voice.

Meanwhile Fazal Ahmad Manawi, head of the IEC, in his visit to the southern Helmand province cited security a major threat confronting parliamentary elections in the province, but he emphasised over the expansion of polling centres in the province.