Roadside bombs delay ballot boxes’ transfer

SHIBERGHAN (Pajhwok): The police chief for northern Jawzjan province on Monday said roadside bombs in several districts delayed the transfer of ballot boxes to the provincial Independent Election Commission (IEC) office.

Col. Faqir Mohammad Jawzjani told Pajhwok Afghan News militants had planted landmines on roads leading to Muradyan, Aqcha, Qarqin and Khamab districts. One policeman was killed by the roadside bomb he was defusing.

A total of 18 bombs have been defused across the province. IEC Director Muhammad Aman Faryabi praised the role of security forces in shifting ballot boxes to the office. He said the task was impossible without active support from the forces.

Faryabi said ballot boxes from Khwaja Dokoh, Faiz Abad, Mandigak, Khan Aqa, Aqcha and Muradyan districts had been received by the IEC office, but those from the remote Qarqin were yet to reach.

Meanwhile, two complaints have been registered against alleged fraud in Jawzjan. Almost 130,000 people voted in the runoff ballot in the province, where the number of eligible voters was 150,000 in the April 5 election.

sam/rm

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