Afghan president orders security forces to finalize election security plan

Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Monday ordered concerned security authorities to finalize a security plan for the upcoming elections, said the Presidential Palace.

The announcement came as the country is preparing for the parliamentary elections which is scheduled for Oct. 15 this year.

"President Ghani chaired a regular National Security Council meeting Monday afternoon. The meeting observed the initial security plan for the Wolesi Jirga or Lower House of parliament and district council elections and instructed the concerned security authorities to finalize the election security plan,"it said in a statement.

According to Afghan laws, the elections should be held in early last year. But the government failed to carry it out due to insecurity and political issues over reforming the country's electoral laws and election system.

According to the statement, the meeting also approved in principal a fighting strategy against the Islamic State (IS) militant group and instructed the security forces to pressure the IS fighters in countryside.

The IS militant are mostly active in eastern and southern provinces.