‘Afghans to take more control from NATO’
KABUL:
Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday announced a new transfer of
security control from NATO that will see local forces take
responsibility for 75 percent of Afghanistan's population.Kapisa province, where French troops are based, will be among 11 provinces to come under Afghan control, a statement from the president's office said.
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 statement did not say when the transfer phase would start or finish, but Kapisa's inclusion was significant as French president-elect Francois Hollande has pledged to pull out France's troops this year.
"In today's national security council meeting it was decided 11 provinces will be transitioned in the handover, including Kapisa, Uruzgan and Parwan," presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi told a news conference.
Australian forces currently have the lead in Uruzgan province.
"Seventy-five percent of the population will come under local security control," by the end of the phase, said Faizi.
The first two tranches -- the first in July last year -- have already put 50 percent of the population under Afghan control. (AFP)
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