| Bloody attacks against foreigners in northern areas of Afghanistan previously considered the safest in the country have renewed concerns within the government and among observers that a resurgent Taliban could invalidate elections. Presidential and parliamentary polls have been set for September but in the lead-up to the elections the security situation has deteriorated in the south and southeast and along the border with Pakistan because of suspected Taliban. With the latest attacks in the north, there are fears that the insurgency is creeping into once-stable areas. The electoral commission, is concerned about the violence but was committed to holding the voting on time. The Defence Ministry remains confident it will tackle the insurgency, in combination with assistance from the 20,000-strong US-led coalition in the country and NATO-led peacekeepers. But others remain unconvinced about the feasibility of holding Afghanistan’s first democratic elections while intensified attacks continue. |