Ballot screening is being speeded up so that the outcome can be announced in early October. Sources remind AsiaNews that most of those who die are from the local population.

Kabul (AsiaNews) – Final results from Afghanistan's presidential elections could be in as soon as early October, official sources said. The outcome could affect the decision by US president Barack Obama, on whether to send more troops to the Afghan mission, a decision that has been postponed, analysts note. Local sources describe the current situation for AsiaNews.

There is clear agreement that electoral fraud took place in last August presidential election, but there is also a consensus that elections should not be repeated. Questions do remain as to what happens if screening of suspicious ballots ends up eroding outgoing President Hamid Karzai’s lead to less than 50 per cent, a margin that would ensure his election without a run-off against former minister Abdullah Abdullah.

Preliminary results published by the Independent Election Commission gave 54.6 per cent of the vote to Mr Karzai, but European Union observers noted that about 1.5 million ballots out of 5.8 are suspect.

Either way, for the West things look bad. In the first case, Karzai is elected but his position is weakened by fraud allegations. In the second case, a new vote would give the Taliban more opportunities to carry out attacks and create insecurity.

Karzai could find a compromise and form a coalition with Abdullah, but at present that seems a far-fetched prospect given their incompatible positions.

What is certain though is that the Italian contingent will continue its peacekeeping mission, which Major Amoriello indirectly confirmed.

Speaking about the two Italian soldiers wounded in Shindand escorting a medical team, he said that the Taliban are losing control of the area, an important crossroad for drug and weapons trafficking, because of the action of the security forces who are increasingly gaining the trust of the local population.

By contrast, local sources told AsiaNews that the battle for democracy has not been won yet.

“Election results aside,” said an anonymous source, “the actual turnout was even lower than the 50 per cent officially announced. This is symptomatic of a growing loss of trust in politics. Four years ago, there were more voters.  At that time, social change actually appeared possible, just around the corner; today people really feel let down.”

“Since the attack [on Italian troops] on 17 September, security measures have been tightened. That is necessary but it is making life harder for people.”

“It is right for Western countries to be worried about their soldiers,” he added, “but don’t forget that most attack victims are Afghan bystanders. We don’t know how many there are because many are not taken to the hospital.  And for those who are, hospitals don’t always keep track or make lists of who goes to the emergency and who goes to the different wards for regular treatment.”

• afghanistan
• hamid
• karzai
• abdullah
• abdullah
• presidential
• elections
• outcome
• october
• barack
• obama
• ballot
• screening
• independent
• election
• commission
• amoriello