Karzai blames US for Afghan violence

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has criticized the US-led foreign forces for the continual violence that is claiming the lives of civilians in the war-torn country.

Karzai said Afghans are caught up in between the goals of Western powers and militants backed by other countries and called on his people to unite for the sake of peace.

“Therefore come to your senses … you are witnessing what is happening on our soil and only through our efforts can our homeland be ours,” he said during a speech in Kabul.

Karzai says he is afraid of seeing the next generation, including his son Mirwais, flee the country and lose their Afghan identity.

“I do not want Mirwais, my son, to be a foreigner, I do not want this. I want Mirwais to be Afghan.”

Karzai comments come as thousands of civilians have lost their lives either in US-led airstrikes or Taliban operations in different parts of the war-ravaged country over the past years.

The US and its allies have more than 150,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan. American and NATO forces have failed to bring peace to the violence-wracked country.

The loss of civilian lives at the hand of foreign forces has led to a dramatic increase in anti-American sentiments in Afghanistan.