Amidst violence and attacks on candidates Afghanistan prepares for August elections

Three US troops and a Polish soldier fighting for NATO forces died in Afghanistan over the past three days, as NATO continues its efforts to uproot Taliban militants from Southern Afghanistan.

As the fighting continues, Afghanistan prepares for presidential and local council elections next week.  Today Afghan authorities announced plans to hire 10,000 tribesmen to secure polls in 21 Afghan provinces during next week´s elections.   The tribesmen will not be armed by the government but they will carry their own weapons.

Several candidates have already been threatened by militants and there have been attacks against some campaign teams. FSRN'S Zubair Babakarkhail has the story from Kabul.