02/07/13: Reuters reports the NATO commander in Afghanistan said Sunday that NATO will help implement a ban by President Hamid Karzai on Afghan forces calling in NATO airstrikes in residential areas. Karzai announced on Saturday that he would issue a decree banning Afghan security forces from requesting NATO air strikes on "Afghan homes or villages," following the deaths of ten civilians in the eastern province of Kunar last Wednesday. The NATO air strike had been requested by Afghanistan's intelligence agency. In his first meeting with reporters since assuming command of NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) a week ago, General Joseph Dunford said he would work out the details of how to implement Karzai's order.

Get the Brief via Twitter
Get the Brief via Email