President Hamid Karzai”s government has demanded a review of the presence of U.S. and NATO troops in the country amid allegations that large numbers of civilians have died in raids and airstrikes by foreign forces in recent weeks.
In a harshly worded statement released Monday, the government ordered its ministries of foreign affairs and defense to review the presence of foreign troops, regulate their presence with a status of forces agreement and negotiate a possible end to “air strikes on civilian targets, uncoordinated house searches and illegal detention of Afghan civilians.”
The statement appears to be aimed at both international forces operating in Afghanistan: the U.S.-led coalition, which conducts special forces counterterrorism operations and trains the fledgling Afghan army and police, and the U.N.-mandated NATO-led force tasked to provide security for the war-ravaged nation.
Capt. Mike Windsor, a spokesman for the NATO-led force, said they have seen media reports but have not received “any official notification so far.”
“NATO”s … mission is based on a UN mandate and carried upon the invitation of the Afghan government,” Windsor said. There was no immediate comment from the U.S.-led coalition.
The government”s decision follows a weekend clash and airstrikes in western Afghanistan, in which Afghan officials say some 90 civilians, including women and children, were killed.
