Karzai criticises US-British conduct of Afghan war

Afghan President Hamid Karzai criticized the US and British conduct of the war in Afghanistan, telling The New York Times in an interview published yesterday his government must be accorded the lead in policy decisions.

Karzai told the newspaper he wanted US forces to stop arresting suspected Taliban members and their sympathisers, saying that fear of arrest along with past mistreatment were discouraging them from coming forward and laying down their arms.

"It has to happen," he said of the end to such arrests. Karzai also said in the interview conducted on Friday that he did not have specific details about alleged mistreatment of people in custody.

Ousted from power in 2001 by US-led and Afghan forces, the Al-Qaeda-backed Taliban has vowed to topple the Afghan government and drive out the foreign troops who back it. Nearly 12,000 people, including more than 330 foreign troops, have been killed in violence in the past two years.

Karzai, who faces re-election next year, criticized the US-led coalition for what he characterized as carrying out the war on terrorism in Afghanistan's villages, and said the real threat was centered in Taliban and Al-Qaeda sanctuaries in neighbouring Pakistan. "The sanctuaries must go, period," the Times quoted him as saying.

He also said that civilian casualties needed to stop, despite their numbers dropping significantly in the last year.

"I am not happy with civilian casualties coming down; I want an end to civilian casualties," he said. "As much as one may argue it's difficult, I don't accept that argument."