NATO has decided to enhance its strength to 12,000 ahead of the landmark legislative elections in post-Taliban Afghanistan, spokesperson of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said Wednesday.

"ISAF now has more than 10,000 forces on the ground and that number will increase to more than 12,000 once all Election Support Forces are on the ground by mid August," Karen Tissot Van Patot told newsmen at her last press conference.

The strength of multinational force has already increased from 8,300 to more than 10,000 with the arrival of around 2,000 troops from member countries. Enhancing troops is part of the NATO commitment to face any eventuality and ensure security for the coming polls in the war-torn central Asian state.

Troops from the Netherlands and Spain have already arrived and those from other states will arrive soon.

"The Spanish will be based in Herat and the Dutch will be based in northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif," the spokesperson said.

Afghan Defense and Interior Ministries in conjunction with ISAF and US-led coalition forces are busy to chalk out a comprehensive security arrangement to ensure a safe and peaceful environment for the Sept. 18 parliamentary elections.

Taliban's leader Mullah Mohammad Omar who termed the election as a "toll to legitimize the US occupation of Afghanistan" has vowed to derail the next legislative polls by any possible means.

Source: Xinhua