'Afghanistan to expel US security firms'
Sat, 07 Aug 2010 14:30:13 GMT


Afghan President Hamid Karzai is set to call on Washington and its allies to shut down their private security companies in the violence-stricken country.

President Karzai will announce the details of his demand late Saturday during a press conference in Kabul, a Press TV correspondent reported.

Informed sources in the presidential office said the Afghan leader was set to impose a ban on Western-backed security firms and announce his new policy on the fight against corruption.

President Karzai had earlier accused foreign security contractors in the country of operating as militias, saying that these firms are only worsening the security situation in Afghanistan.

The demand would be made as Kabul has confirmed the presence of 52 foreign private security companies, including notorious American security firm Xe Services LLC — formerly known as Blackwater — in Afghanistan.

Most of the security contractors are believed to have close ties with Afghan warlords and are also accused of contributing to the rising number of civilian casualties in the country.

The move also comes amid growing friction between President Karzai and Western countries present in Afghanistan on the fight against corruption in the war-torn country.

The Afghan leader moved to assert control over two American-backed anticorruption task forces on Wednesday, ordering a handpicked committee to review all their investigations.

This is while, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton raised the issue of corruption probes with Karzai during a routine telephone conversation on Tuesday.

A senior US official told AFP on Friday that Clinton had stressed the importance of Western-backed anti-corruption bodies.

"She did put down a marker that these units will be an important manifestation of the Afghan government's commitment to fighting corruption," the official said. "She was just gently putting down a marker."

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