Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Obama, Karzai to Confer on Afghan Sovereignty

Obama, Karzai to Confer on Afghan Sovereignty

KABUL - The US President Barack Obama has welcomed the beginning of the third phase in the handover of security responsibilities to Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).
Obama welcomed the handover of security duties in 122 more districts across Afghanistan, announced on Sunday by the President Hamid Karzai.

The move will see 75 percent of the country's population - and all 34 provincial capitals - come under the responsibility of Afghan security forces.
"I welcome President Karzai's announcement today of the third tranche of areas to transition to Afghan security lead, which is an important step forward in our effort to achieve our objectives in Afghanistan," Mr Obama said.

Meanwhile, the French President-elect Francois Hollande has vowed to move the withdrawal of French troops forward from Kapisa province.
Mr Hollande had already pledged during his election campaign to withdraw France's 3,400 troops from Afghanistan this year.

It is the third phase of the transition of military control in the war-torn country and another step towards the withdrawal of 130,000 US-led NATO troops by the end of 2014.
The NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen also welcomed the move.

"The completion of transition at the end of 2014 will mark the end of NATO's combat role, but not the end of our engagement," he said in a statement.
"NATO is committed to an enduring partnership with Afghanistan, and to providing the training which the Afghan forces will still need, beyond 2014," the statement added.

Afghan officials have said that in the national security council meeting it was decided that 11 provinces will be transitioned in the handover, including Kapisa, Uruzgan and Parwan.
The NATO forces are in Afghanistan helping the Afghan government to fight a decade-long insurgency in the country.

It comes as the US and NATO agreed that the Chicago summit should reaffirm the coalition's commitment to the transition plan agreed on in Lisbon, Portugal in November 2010 when the leaders last met, and to hand over the control of security in Afghanistan to Afghan forces by the end of 2014.

The summit will decide on the final stages of the transition, including a shift next year from combat to a support role, as well as "enduring" support for "sufficient and sustainable" Afghan forces. (Tolo News)