AFGHANISTAN: Karzai calls on NATO to stop its military operations

AFP - Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Saturday asked its NATO allies to cease their military operations in the country to avoid killing civilians, while traveling in the east where foreign soldiers are accused of several recent blunders .

This is the first time Mr. Karzai came to power by the West in late 2001 but continues to report civilian casualties burrs on the strength of NATO, calling for a drastic measure to its allies.

His spokesman, Omer Waheed, however relativized statements after this intervention: it estimated that Mr.Karzai had only to ask again for NATO to cease operations that kill civilians, usually air strikes and targeted raids against suspected rebels.

Asked in the afternoon by AFP, the international force from NATO in Afghanistan (Isaf) did not wish to react to Mr. Karzai.

This statement of Afghan President comes two days after a loved one has been killed by international forces in the family stronghold located in the southern province of Kandahar.

Mr.Karzai was speaking Saturday to about 500 tribal leaders in Asadabad, capital of Kunar, a stronghold of Pakistan border where Taliban Kabul accuses NATO of killing 74 civilians in recent weeks.In the audience were also relatives of the victims of those bombings.

"On the occasion of this meeting I would ask NATO and the United States with honor and humility and without arrogance, to cease their operations in our country," he said, adding: "We are a very tolerant people, but our tolerance is wearing thin. "

The solution to the war against international terrorism "is not in our country" but "in the regions we have shamed for nine years, and they (NATO, ie) know themselves" saidKarzai.

The Afghan president has repeatedly in recent years to ask the international forces to attack Taliban insurgents rear bases overseas, including in neighboring Pakistan, not in Afghan villages.

To the audience, Mr. Karzai took in his arms a little girl's leg amputated after a NATO bombing, and began to cry."I want you to take pictures of this little girl and her injuries and that you show your authority," he told representatives of the NATO force on site:

"We thank the West and are happy with everything they have done for us. We do not complain if we are killed by terrorists, but if we are with our allies, we have the right to complain.How long will I continue to attend the funeral at the four corners of Afghanistan? If foreigners see us as their friends, they should not kill their friends, "he said.

Nearly 140,000 foreign soldiers, two thirds of Americans are deployed in the country to support the weak government of Mr. Karzai against the Taliban insurgency. NATO plans to transfer responsibility to Afghan forces for the security of the entire country by the end of 2014.