Karzai critical of US war strategy

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has criticized US and NATO war strategy in his country, saying the innocent civilians are the targets of the current strategy.

In a statement issued by his office on Sunday, Karzai urged US-led foreign troops to review their strategy in what he called the war on terrorism.

The Afghan president also referred to “innocent Afghans” as the victims of the current US war strategy in the country.

“Afghan villages are not the birthplaces and sources of terrorism and innocent Afghan people must not become the victims of the war against terrorism,” Karzai said.

“The right strategy of the war against terrorism is to focus on the sources and birthplaces of terrorism,” he went on to say.

“The Afghan government invites the international community and all those who want a lasting and firm war against terrorism, with a critical assessment of the past nine years of anti-terror strategy, to adjust this strategy with the bitter realities regarding terrorism and to provide the grounds for victory,” he further explained.

Civilian casualties caused by US-led foreign forces have been a major source of tension between Kabul and Washington.

The civilian death toll in the war-ravaged Afghanistan has increased 30 percent in the first six months of this year compared with the same period last year.

Karzai made the statement on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the United States, nearly nine years after US troops invaded Afghanistan to fight what they call terrorism.