17 Spanish troops killed in Herat crash
(Arman-e-Milli) Seventeen Spanish troops were killed when a helicopter of the International Security Assistance Force crashed near the airport in the city of Herat on Tuesday. The Spanish defence ministry confirmed that there were no survivors. NATO forces have also confirmed the incident and rescue teams have already been sent to the area. Spain had pledged to send 500 troops to Afghanistan ahead of the parliamentary elections slated for September 18.
(Arman-e-Milli is an independent daily run by a group of journalists.)

Parliamentary candidates, voters complain about local commander in Faryab
(Erada) Several parliamentary candidates, along with residents of three districts of Faryab province, have accused a former commander of Junbish-e Milli-yi Islami, the National Islamic Movement, of interfering in the parliamentary election campaign. The organisation denies the charges. The candidates claim that Abdul Rahman, a former commander of Junbish-e Milli-yi Islami in the Pashtoon Kot district, is still armed. And they say he is forcing the residents of Pashtoon Kot, Qaisar and Shirin Tagab districts to vote for candidates from the Junbish party under threat of death. According to local government officials, armed commanders are active in all the northern provinces, including Balkh, Herat, Badghis and Jowzjan provinces as well as Faryab.
(Erada is an independent daily run by the Afghan Media and Resource Centre.)

Taleban threaten to kill Lebanese Engineer
(Anis) The Taleban have warned that they will kill a Lebanese engineer kidnapped on Sunday evening, unless his employers agree to leave the country. Ahmad Riza, a Lebanese engineer working for a Turkish construction company, was abducted in Qalat city in Zabul province. Taleban spokesman Latif Hakimi claimed the abductors have warned the Turkish company to quit Afghanistan. He added that the company will have 24 hours to comply with the demand, otherwise the Taleban will execute their captive. Several foreign nationals have been abducted in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taleban regime. A Turkish engineer working for a Turkish company was killed last year after being abducted in Kunar province.
(Anis is state-run daily published mostly in Dari.)

Zaher Shah: We must overcome Afghanistan's current problems together
(Hewad) His Excellency Mohammad Zaher Shah, Father of the Nation, met with representatives of the National Peace Party and residents of Kabul yesterday. Ali Ahmad Asir spoke for the Peace Party, while a number of people delivered speeches on behalf of the people of the capital. Afterwards, the Father of the Nation declared, "The government really needs your help in order to resolve all of the existing problems".
(Hewad is a state run daily mostly in Pashto.)