Afghan I-day eve: 7,000 policemen on Kabul streets

Monday, August 18, 2008 at 8:08 am

Afghan police has deployed nearly 7000 officers on the capital’s streets, including the country’s youngest cadets, to secure Kabul ahead of Independence Day celebrations on Monday. Television footage showed teams of police standing guard on streets, and searching people and vehicles at checkpoints around the city on Sunday. The security increase in Kabul came on the eve of the 89th anniversary of the country’s independence from Britain, and amid a spike in violence around the country.

Kabul residents were cynical. One man, Ghulam Rasool, said the city should be made safe all year round. “The police are securing the city because of Independence Day. They should always secure the city, not only for the Independence Day celebrations, and make the city safe for people to work in,” he said.

“There is no security in Afghanistan. Security in three streets doesn’t mean anything. They should secure the whole country,” added Najibullah, a Kabul citizen. The Interior Ministry said police in Kabul would search buildings and cars to “create an environment of trust and prevent any disruptive actions by the enemy.” Any breach of security during the celebration would be an embarrassment for President Hamid Karzai’s government.

In April, gunmen fired on Karzai at a military parade in Kabul from a rented hotel room several hundred yards (metres) from the review stands where dignitaries were seated. The attack killed three people, including a lawmaker. The location of Monday’s ceremony was not announced in advance in an effort to minimise the risk of insurgents again disrupting a national celebration.
An Interior Ministry spokesman said more than 5000 extra police personnel had been drafted for what he described as the biggest operation of its kind in Kabul since 2001, when US-led forces ousted the Taliban government.

APTN

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Afghan I-day eve: 7,000 policemen on Kabul streets

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