Top US Marine Predicts Security Transfer for Afghan South Will Take Years
VOA News 24 August 2010
The commander of the U.S. Marine Corps says it likely will take a few years to transfer security duty to Afghan forces in the country's key southern provinces.
General James Conway says some American forces in Afghanistan probably will turn over combat duties to Afghan forces in 2011. However, he adds, that probably will not include Marines battling insurgents in Helmand and Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban.
Speaking to reporters in Washington Tuesday, Conway acknowledged that American support for the war in Afghanistan is waning. But he noted the troop surge that President Barack Obama ordered late last year is still under way.
The last of 30,000 additional troops sent to Afghanistan will only arrive at the end of next month. That will bring the total number of U.S. forces in the country to 98,000.
President Obama has called for U.S. troops to begin withdrawing from Afghanistan in July of next year.
NATO said Tuesday that separate attacks in southern Afghanistan killed two troops, including one American.
NATO also said Tuesday that Afghan and international forces have killed more than 35 Taliban fighters this week, as part of efforts to provide security for parliamentary elections next month.
The alliance says the operation is focused on clearing Kabul province and rooting out insurgents. NATO says it has recovered bomb-making materials, suicide vests and rocket-propelled grenades.
Security remains a top concern ahead of Afghanistan's September 18 parliamentary vote. Last week, Afghan officials said 900 polling centers, mainly in the south and east, would not open because they are in areas considered too dangerous.
NATO also says it is investigating allegations that eight Afghan civilians were killed and 12 others wounded during a NATO raid Sunday in the northern province of Baghlan.
Afghan officials say troops flown in on helicopters attacked a village in the remote Tala Wabarfak district.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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