Gates: More Afghans can vote safely

WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- More Afghans will be able to vote safely in the Aug. 20 presidential elections because of security improvements, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says.

Afghan and U.S.-led NATO military forces, operating in the restive Helmand province and elsewhere in Afghanistan's south, have succeeded in enforcing order so voting can proceed in more areas, Gates said Thursday.

"Due to some of the military operations that have taken place in the Helmand province and other places in the south, it looks like more Afghans will be able to vote than had been the case before the recent deployment of additional U.S. forces, and obviously that's an encouraging development," Gates said in a statement.

However, he said security is worse in the east and south.

"In some parts of Afghanistan, the Taliban have clearly established a presence," Gates said. "The operations under way now, and those being considered for the coming months, are designed to roll back the Taliban and establish a lasting security and government presence, a presence that can give the Afghan people confidence that they will be protected from intimidation and retribution."