Attacks and threats by the Taleban are likely to worsen in the run-up to Afghanistan's landmark October elections as security in the war-torn country deteriorates, Western military officials said Saturday.
"As the run-up to election occurs we are going to receive an increase in threats and quite likely an increased in activity," Lieutenant Commander Ken Mackillop, spokesman for the Nato-led peacekeeping force, said at a regular news briefing. The comments come after a bloody week in the war-torn country when three deadly bomb attacks killed at least 20 people.
Three American citizens and at least six others were killed in a blast at a US security firm in the capital Kabul Sunday, a day after 10 people, mostly children, died in a bomb attack in the southern province of Paktia.
One person was killed Friday in a bomb attack on a UN vehicle in the southern city of Kandahar.
"The people of Kabul, they need to be vigilant, they need to understand that the threat level has increased because of the elections," said US-led coalition spokesman Major Scott Nelson.
"The Taleban have specifically said that they are going to target to disrupt the elections," he added.
Mackillop said that Nato, the US-led coalition and the Afghan security forces have been working together to ensure the security of October 9 polls but it would be impossible to prevent all attacks.
"Security can never be 100 percent," Mackillop said adding that peacekeeping troops were working with Afghan security forces to ensure that security was "as good as it can be."
Both the US and Nato-led peacekeepers were taking extra measures to tighten security in the capital and around the country to prevent potential attacks by Taleban, he said.
On Tuesday, Nato peacekeepers seized dozens of rockets, mortar shells and hand-grenades from a truck which was trying to enter Kabul, he said, declining to give further details.
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