NATO adds troops ahead of Afghan election

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer After talks with the Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer stressed the importance of the elections for the international community. Scheffer said the conflict in Afghanistan should be solved politically. He will leave office in August after five-and-a-half years. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which already numbers around 61,000 soldiers from about 40 countries, will also be protecting the observers of the election, he said. Despite the heavy presence of US-led forces in Afghanistan, violence is on the rise two months ahead of the country's presidential elections. RZS/SME/RE