Photo taken on Oct. 14, 2018 shows plastic boxes of election materials at a warehouse of Afghan Independent Election Commission (IEC) in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. Afghan election for Wolesi Jirga or Lower House of parliament is slated for Oct. 20 and more than 2,500 candidates are racing to find way in the 249-seat house. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah)
KABUL, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- As the date for the upcoming Afghan parliamentary elections is getting closer the Afghan Interior Ministry announced deployment of 50,000-strong troops to ensure security for the polling process.
"The government has decided to deploy 50,000 troops elsewhere in the country to provide security for the coming elections," spokesman for Interior Ministry Najib Danish told reporters at the press conference here.
He also stated that more troops would remain on alert to deal with any eventuality on the election day.
Afghan election for Wolesi Jirga or Lower House of parliament is slated for Oct. 20 and more than 2,500 candidates are racing to find way in the 249-seat house.
Anti-government militants since the beginning of electoral campaign on Sept. 28 have targeted election rallies in the eastern Nangarhar, southern Helmand and northern Takhar province killing over three dozen people and injuring scores others.
