KABUL, Aug 18 (AFP) - President Hamid Karzai called Wednesday on neighbouring countries to prevent militants crossing into Afghanistan through poorly monitored borders and cooperate in the "fight against terror."
"Today I kindly request Afghanistan's neighbouring countries' cooperation in the fight against terror," Karzai said in an address to the nation marking Afghan Independence Day.
"I ask them not to allow terrorists to enter our country from their territory because their countries' security depends upon the security of Afghanistan."
South and southeast Afghanistan, which border Pakistan, are in the grip of an insurgency by Taliban militants who are waging a guerrilla war, attacking government officials, aid and election workers in the run-up to landmark presidential elections on October 9.
Many Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters are thought to cross easily between villages straddling the border with Pakistan's semi-autonomous northwest tribal districts.
Speaking to thousands of people gathered in Kabul's National Stadium, Karzai hailed progress towards Afghanistan's first presidential elections, saying more than 10 million people had registered to vote.
"The election is a major step towards security and stability of our country," he said.
Celebrations to mark the 85th anniversary of Afghanistan independence featured a parade by soldiers from the nascent national army.
Afghanistan gained full independence after a third brief war against British forces in 1919.
"After getting independence our country got into trouble two other times with strangers invading and then terrorists invading our country, but despite its long suffering our brave nation continued its struggle until it rescued its dignity," Karzai said.
Afghanistan was occupied by Soviet forces from 1979 to 1989 and ruled by the hardline Islamic Taliban regime from 1996 to 2001, following a bitter civil war between anti-Soviet mujahedin commanders in the intervening years.
Under the Taliban Osama bin Laden and his Al-Qaeda terrorist organisation were given sanctuary and allowed to run training camps.