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UNCLAS KABUL 002462 
 
DEPT FOR AFGHAN ELECTIONS TASK FORCE 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM AF
 
SUBJECT: Afghan Elections Situation Report Fourteen - 2000 Local, 
August 21, 2009 
 
¶1. (U) This is the final sitrep in the series. 
 
------------ 
Atmospherics 
------------ 
 
¶2. (U) General updates 
 
The IEC rejected claims of a President Karzai victory in the Xinhua 
press and stressed that any predictions about election results 
announced by any person or organization were inaccurate. 
Today in a Tolo interview, President Karzai's media representative, 
Waheed Omar, also backtracked from previous statements made by 
President Karzai's campaign manager Din Mohammad declaring a 
President Karzai victory. He noted while the assessments by their 
polling agents showed them to be in the lead and gave them 
confidence that they would emerge victorious, only the IEC could 
declare the winner of the elections. 
He also noted that predictions 
that a second round would not take place was in their interest and 
acknowledged that this decision could only be made after the IEC 
announcement of the results. 
IRI released its preliminary statement on the elections at 1830 
Kabul time.  In summary, IRI noted many positive aspects of the 2009 
elections so far, including a vigorous and relatively civil 
campaign, balanced private media coverage and, in the first Afghan 
run election, competent election administration.  IRI commended 
Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (IEC) for the training 
of election workers and ensuring procedures for an orderly election 
process were in place.  However, they said that such issues as lower 
turnout, fraud and abuse of state resources may have brought these 
elections to a lower standard than the 2004 and 2005 Afghan 
elections observed by IRI.  In particular, IRI stated that the 
security environment in the run-up to and on Election Day 
contributed to Afghans' fear of going to the polls and would need to 
be addressed if future elections are to gain greater legitimacy. 
Nevertheless, given Afghanistan's circumstances, and based on what 
IRI observers witnessed in the first three of the five parts of the 
elections, IRI concluded that the process so far has been credible. 
 
The National Military Coordination Center (NMCC), which was the 
epicenter for security coordination for the Afghan National Security 
Forces (ANSF), reported that all security leaders present, 
international and Afghan, agreed that despite the high level of 
attacks throughout the day, the unprecedented levels of security 
cooperation between ISAF and ANSF had a large positive impact on the 
ability of security forces to thwart the enemies effort to disrupt 
the election.  BG Hogg HQ ISAF said that election day had seen the 
highest number of ISAF security incidents ever but that very few of 
them affected the election process."  NDS director Saleh emphasized 
that the Afghan people took a courageous stand in voting despite the 
violence of this year.  "The enemy attacked today" he said, "but did 
not break the people." 3. (U) Provincial reports by region follow: 
 
RC South: 
-- The PRT rep in Kandahar reported on his conversation with 
US-funded Democracy International (DI) observers, who were the only 
international observers to visit polling stations in Kandahar City. 
Based on the lack of activity at the 17 polling stations visited and 
discussions with election officials who were tallying votes, the DI 
observers would be surprised if voter turnout exceeded 10 to 15 per 
cent.  DI said there were inconsistent reports about the number of 
polling stations open in Kandahar City yesterday; they heard as many 
as 73 and as few as 63.  Voters seemed to get in, vote, and get out 
quickly; many covered their faces as they left.  Inside the 17 
polling stations visited by DI, Karzai supporters were engaged in 
active campaigning and, at several, greeted the DI team as if they 
(the Karzai agents) were election officials. 
Some Karzai agents also 
interrupted DI's interviews of voters who had already cast their 
ballots.  DI did not observe anyone being prevented from voting or 
directly observe fraud.  Voting appeared to tail off in the 
afternoon, perhaps due to the ongoing rocket attacks in the city. 
 
The DI observers met with the Chief of Police this morning.  The 
Chief appeared happy and relaxed, and said he'd received a 
congratulatory call from "Kabul" on his handling of the elections. 
The Chief denied any real concern about unrest if there were a 
run-off, saying there would be trouble only if Abdullah Abdullah's 
supporters took to the streets (NB: a highly unlikely scenario in 
Pashtun Kandahar).  The Chief did not seem concerned about the 
transport of ballot materials to the IEC. 
 
RC-East: 
 
-- PRT Ghanzi: Governor Usmani called PRT State Rep and expressed 
his gratitude for all the work the PRT did to ensure that the 
 
elections went off. 
He said he had told President Karzai earlier in 
the day what the U.S. had done to help in Ghazni province.  Karzai, 
he said, was very happy.  The Governor said that Ghazni Provincial 
Election Officer Rahimi and his staff were, at that moment, very 
busy "counting the votes," and claimed that when he last spoke to 
Rahimi, the latter told him that Karzai already had more than 
200,000 votes.  The Governor said that the situation in Ghazni City 
was returning to normal and that people were out on the streets.  He 
anticipated that there would be no more fighting on the scale that 
was seen on Election Day. 
 
RC North: 
 
-- Nothing new to report. 
 
RC West: 
 
-- Nothing new to report. 
 
RC Central: 
 
-- Nothing new to report. 
 
--------- 
Security 
--------- 
 
¶5.  (U) Provincial reports by region follow: 
 
RC South:  Uruzgan: PEO Osmani reported that they are investigating 
a few instances of voting irregularities, 
particularly in connection 
with Provincial Council elections.  He also reported that as many as 
five of the PC candidates had gathered in front of polling stations 
in Tarin Kowt for some last minute campaigning, despite the ban on 
such activity 
 
RC East: 
-- Nothing new to report. 
 
RC North: 
 
-- PRT Mazar: PRT has confirmed and added detail to brief report of 
IEC Chairman Lodin to Ambassador Carney at mid-day that an attack in 
Balkh had killed an IEC worker driving ballot boxes to Mazar. PRT 
reports that at 22:45 last night, an IEC convoy transporting ballot 
boxes from Shahraq village 
in Nahr-e-Shahi district, Balkh province, 
to Mazar was attacked by insurgents, who first fired RPGs at and 
then doused fuel on an IEC vehicle.  One IEC worker was killed, and 
thirteen ballot boxes were burned.  The ANP escort was at the rear 
of the convoy. 
 
 
RC West: 
 
-- Herat: According to the Provincial ANP Chief, there were no 
security incidents of note in Herat province the day after the 
election.  He claimed on Election Day Herat city was the quietest, 
safest major city in Afghanistan.  Traffic was very light this 
Friday and fewer shops were open than usual for a Friday, but by 
evening, the normal pace of activity 
for a Friday in Herat seemed to 
have resumed.  Many Heratis, mostly young men, and a few families, 
were out picnicking in parks around town Friday afternoon. 
 
RC Central: 
 
-- Nothing new to report. 
 
---------------------------- 
Voting & Counting Activities 
---------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Provincial reports by region follow: 
 
RC South: 
 
-- Uruzgan: PRT Tarin Kowt reports that PEO Osmai did not have any 
specific voter turnout statistics but did confirm that the voting in 
some districts was abysmally low, and noted that in at least four 
districts there few to zero women voters.  He attributed low voter 
turnout to the Taliban propaganda campaign, particularly in those 
areas where there was both low voter turnout and yet no security 
issues. 
 
RC East: 
 
-- PRT Ghanzi: The election materials from Rashidan district were 
brought to FOB Ghazni by US military air, and turned over to the 
IEC.  They were then loaded onto IEC trucks, which drove to the 
local IEC headquarters in Ghazni City with an ANP escort. 
The two District Field Coordinators told us 2,000 people voted, 
which they said is 10 percent of the eligible voters of Rashidan 
district. 
 
District Subgovernor (DSG) Mohammad Hassan Faizi and his two 
bodyguards were brought to the base on the helicopter, as were the 
five District Field Coordinators and the body of a dead ANA soldier. 
 DSG Faizi said that his clothes were shot through during fighting 
at the Zana Khan District Center with AAF that had surrounded the 
center.  One of the DFCs said that 60 percent of Zana Khan's 
eligible voters voted, amounting to 18,000 people.  When challenged 
by the IEC interpreter who reminded the DFC that there was "a war in 
Zanakhan," the DFC quickly downgraded his estimate to 8,000 voters 
and 15 percent. 
Panjshir: The Provincial Election Officer in Panjshir said he is 
unable to assess voter turnout at this time.  Anecdotal evidence 
from international observers suggests voter 
turnout was less than 50 
percent - surprising given the permissive security environment and 
active campaigning by provincial council candidates. 
 
The Provincial Election Office has received tally sheets from 52 of 
Panjshir's 96 voting centers.  All but the most remote polling 
stations are expected to transport their materials to the PEO by the 
end of the day. 
 
Logar / Wardak: Throughout the 142 polling stations in Logar and 
Wardak, ballots from 132 polling centers have been counted, signed, 
and transported from the PC to the DC. The remaining 10 which are 
from Azra and Kherwar in Logar have also been transported from the 
PC to the DC but we did not gain confirmation that they were 
properly counted and signed, but assum  they were. 
 
As of 1500, no ballots present at the PC have transported to Kabul. 
All movement has been carried out by the IEC. 
 
RC North: 
 
-- PRT Kunduz: Provincial Elections Officer told us ballots and 
tally sheets for four districts are arriving at the IEC warehouse in 
Kunduz today; materials for the other three districts would arrive 
tomorrow. 
 
RC West: 
 
-- Herat: Accor it will undermine the legitimacy of the elections. 
--VOA reported that 10 Taliban fighters and an ANA soldier were 
killed during fighting Friday night in the Sar Arzi district of 
Paktika province.  Meanwhile, 
two people were killed in two separate 
incidents in the province. 
--BBC reported on the statement by Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah 
Mahmood Quraisi in which he said his country wants a stable and 
peaceful Afghanistan. He added that Pakistan is ready to work with 
the new Afghan government. 
--Tolo TV reported on remarks by Hanif Atmar, Minister of Interior, 
and Amrullah Saleh, Director of National Security.  They said 
efforts to disrupt the elections were orchestrated on the other side 
of the border (an apparent reference to Pakistan).  Amrullah Saleh 
said Afghan security forces prevented a number of incidents during 
the election day in various parts of the country. 
 
EIKENBERRY 
 
 
RC North: 
-- Nothing new to report. 
 
RC West: 
 
-- Nothing new to report. 
 
RC Central: 
 
-- Nothing new to report. 
 
-------------- 
Public Affairs 
-------------- 
 
¶8.  (U) NEW MESSAGING: Nothing new to report. 
 
¶9.  (U) AFGHAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS: 
 
AFGHAN MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS 
--Presidential candidate Ashraf 
Ghani Ahmadzai said there have been 
reports of vote rigging and that election results will not be 
legitimate unless IEC addressed all the complaints. 
--Rival presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah said there has been 
vote rigging in some parts of the country, especially Kandahar and 
southern parts of the country. He expressed hope that all complaints 
will be investigated. 
--IEC confirmed that it has so far received around 100 complaints in 
Kabul and that investigation into complaints of vote rigging and 
irregularities has started. 
--Tolo TV reported that people under the age of 18 took part in 
voting in some provinces.  An MP called this a clear violation of 
the law and said it will undermine the legitimacy of the elections. 
--VOA reported that 10 Taliban fighters and an ANA soldier were 
killed during fighting Friday night in the Sar Arzi district of 
Paktika province.  Meanwhile, two people were killed in two separate 
incidents in the province. 
--BBC reported on the statement by Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah 
Mahmood Quraisi in which he said his country wants a stable and 
peaceful Afghanistan. He added that Pakistan is ready to work with 
the new Afghan government. 
--Tolo TV reported on remarks by Hanif Atmar, Minister of Interior, 
and Amrullah Saleh, Director of National Security.  They said 
efforts to disrupt the elections were orchestrated on the other side 
of the border (an apparent reference to Pakistan).  Amrullah Saleh 
said Afghan security forces prevented a number of incidents during 
the election day in various parts of the country. 
 
EIKENBERRY