FARAH CITY (Pajhwok): Independent Election Commission (IEC) officials on Saturday said 53 of the 227 polling stations in western Farah province faced a high security threat.
IEC regional chief, Mirwais Azizi, told Pajhwok Afghan News the polling stations in Bala Baluk, Gulistan, Bakwa, Khaki Safid and Pusht Rod districts could not be opened.
Provincial police chief, Brig. Gen. Mohammad Razzaq Yaqubi, confirmed security threats to polling stations but said they would soon launch a clearing operation in the areas to reduce the threat.
A month ago, security organs acknowledged their failure to ensure protection for 414 of the 6,845 polling sites in 11 provinces, including Farah, Badghis, Ghor, Helmand, Badakhshan, Sar-I-Pul, Parwan, Kapisa, Nuristan, Kunar and Laghman.
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