TFAF01 AFGHAN ELECTION WATCH: SIT REP AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 086705

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO MARR PINR PREL PINR
AMGT, XD, AF, KPAO, EAID, KDEM
SUBJECT: TFAF01 AFGHAN ELECTION WATCH: SIT REP AND
S/SRAP MEDIA MESSAGING REPORT #2

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Operations Center Situation Report
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1. Begin Sitrep:
SECURITY INCIDENTS CONTINUE
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(SBU) Kabul: Embassy Kabul reports several incidents of
IEDs and gunfire, without large-scale casualties or
disruption of voting. (TFAF01/Embassy Kabul telcon)

(SBU) RC-North Baghlan: ISAF reported a security
incident that might have resulted in the death of a
district police chief in the vicinity of a polling
station. (TFAF01/Embassy Kabul telcon)

(SBU) RC-East Parwan: Rumors continue to circulate
that Abdullah supporters will take to the streets with
weapons if he does not win. The sources tended to be
Karzai supporters or those with relatively neutral
political views. (Kabul 2432)
(SBU) RC-East: PRT Panjsher investigated the
disappearance of ballots and other sensitive materials
bound for Mandol district in Nuristan. (Kabul 2432)

(SBU) RC-East Ghazni: ISAF helicopters were sent to
Mungur district to investigate armed men on rooftops.
According to Governor Usmani, the men were local militia
protecting polling centers. (Kabul 2432)

(SBU) RC-Central Ghor: According to both the
Independent Election Commission and the Afghanistan
Independent Human Rights Commission, 99 of the 250
polling stations in Ghor Province are without police
presence. (Embassy Kabul Elections Database)

UPDATE FROM OBSERVER GROUPS
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(SBU) Reports indicate international groups deployed as
planned. (TFAF01/Embassy Kabul telcon)

(SBU) Democracy International reports an IED hit its
observer vehicle near a women's polling center in
Helmand. There were no injuries. (Embassy Kabul
Elections Database)

(SBU) Observer groups report problems with hole
punchers used to mark voter registration cards; poll
station officials improvised by using scissors to clip
off corners. (TFAF01/Embassy Kabul telcon)

ELECTION DAY FRAUD ISSUES AND LEGITIMACY
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(SBU) As of 0100 EDT, over two hours after the polls
opened, there were no reported issues of fraud.
(TFAF01/Embassy Kabul telcon)

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S/SRAP Media Messaging

STATE 00086705 002 OF 003



2. Begin Messaging:

Please find attached coordinated media messaging
guidelines regarding the Afghan elections. This
messaging has been cleared for public use throughout the
Department and interagency. Updates will follow by 0600
and 1600 daily for the duration of the Department's
Afghan Election Task Force.

SRAP: SUMMARY OF UPCOMING EVENTS
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Aug 20, 0730 (EDT): Polling ends
Aug 20, 0930 (EDT): FEFA press conference
Aug 20, 1030 (EDT): NATO Secretary General Rasmussen
press statement in Brussels

SRAP: MESSAGING
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(U) MEDIA RESTRICTIONS: We are aware of the Afghan
Government's statements calling on all media to refrain
from reporting any incidents of violence during election
day. While we recognize the sovereign rights of the
Afghan Government and note their intention to encourage
Afghans to turn out and vote, we believe that free media
reporting is directly linked to the credibility of the
elections and continue to support both the freedom of
the press and responsible reporting. We are engaging
with Afghan authorities on these concerns.

(U) INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE: As expected, insurgents are
attempting to intimidate voters and disrupt the process.
The Afghan and international security forces are working
closely together to provide voting site security on
polling day. Conditions are challenging. We strongly
support the rights of all Afghans to choose their own
leaders.

(U) ELECTION SECURITY: The Government of Afghanistan
is the lead for election security, with over 160,000
police and army soldiers manning polling stations and
travel routes. The International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) along with U.S. forcers support Afghan
forces' security efforts. ISAF and USFOR-A have made
these elections their primary mission and are working
closely with their Afghan partners to enable the
election day events.

(U) JUDGING LEGITIMACY: Afghanistan's Independent
Electoral Commission will publish preliminary results
and there is a process in place to deal with any
complaints. We look forward to reports from independent
Afghan and international observer missions.

(U) FRAUD/OBSERVERS: The international community will
be watching closely as the voting and the election
unfold. The U.S. is funding over 360 observers from
independent, international NGOs and from Embassy Kabul.
These international observers will be present in 29 0f
Afghanistan's 34 provinces.

(U) U.S. IMPARTIAL: The U.S. has been working to
support credible, secure, and inclusive elections that

STATE 00086705 003 OF 003

SUBJECT: TFAF01 AFGHAN ELECTION WATCH: SIT REP AND
S/SRAP MEDIA MESSAGING REPORT
are seen by the Afghan people and the international
community as legitimate. The U.S. does not support or
oppose any candidate in the upcoming elections in
Afghanistan. We are impartial.


3. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.
CLINTON