2 NATO troops killed in Afghanistan as Kabul sets election date

 

The international military coalition in Afghanistan says a man wearing an Afghan police uniform killed two NATO service members in southern Afghanistan.
     
Tuesday's assault appeared to be the latest in a string of insider attacks that have threatened to sever the partnership between international troops and the Afghan forces they are trying to train to take over responsibility for the country's security. There have also been cases of insurgents donning Afghan uniforms in assaults.
    
The NATO alliance does not give further details in its statement, saying the shooting is still under investigation.
     
At least 53 international troops have been killed in confirmed attacks by Afghan soldiers or police this year, and a number of other assaults are still under investigation.
 
This as a date has been set for the Afghani presidential elections; April 5, 2014. These elections will be held months ahead of the final withdrawal of NATO troops amid fears of growing insurgency.           

President Hamid Karzai, who is serving his second term, is constitutionally barred from running in the election and has been under pressure from opposition groups to announce the date.               

Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission said in a statement that the date for the vote was set and would be officially announced at a press conference on Wednesday, according to AFP.             

Meanwhile, think tank groups, such as the International Crisis Group, warned this month that the Kabul government could fall apart after Nato troops withdraw, particularly if the presidential elections are plagued by fraud.                

The Afghan government announced last week that it will not accept foreigners on a key election watchdog for the presidential elections, a move that may undermine the credibility of the poll.