Karzai Calls for Disbanding of Security Firms
VOA News 16 August 2010
A spokesman for Afghan President Hamid Karzai says the Afghan leader is giving private security firms four months to cease operations in the country.
Waheed Omar told reporters that Mr. Karzai plans to issue the deadline later on Monday.
More than 50 international and Afghan security firms operate in Afghanistan, employing at least 30,000 people. President Karzai has said the companies undermine the work of Afghan security forces by creating a parallel security structure.
NATO officials said Monday that dissolving the firms would be possible once the Afghan army and police are capable of providing the security that private companies currently offer, including protecting officials and supply convoys. The officials would not comment on whether or not the four-month deadline could be met.
The Pentagon said last week it was working to address the concerns of the Afghan president.
On Monday, NATO said an al-Qaida operative was among two insurgents killed in a NATO air strike in the northern province of Kunduz.
The alliance says Abu Baqir, a Taliban sub-commander and al-Qaida group leader, was killed Sunday while carrying out an attack on a police post in Aliabad.
Elsewhere in Kunduz, NATO says a roadside bomb killed an Afghan child and wounded three others Monday in the Qal'ah-ye Zal district.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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