US, Afghanistan ink deal on night raids, special operations

The controversial night raids and special operations, identified as major causes of civilian casualties in insurgency-hit Afghanistan, will now be led by Afghan forces following an agreement with the US.

Afghanistan's Defence Minister, Gen. Abdul Rahim Wardak, who signed the MoU with US's top commander, Gen. John Allen, said, "From today, all the special operations," including night time raids have been Afghanised, and the operations will be conducted," by Afghan forces.

President Hamid Karzai has repeatedly called an end to the nighttime raids by American and other forces after he learned they disrespect Afghan's culture, and the operations cause major civilians casualties.

The transfer of US' major detention center in Bagram airbase, north of Kabul, to Afghan control and giving the lead of nighttime raids to Afghan forces are clearing the way towards establishment of US-Afghan strategic partnership.

"Today we are one step closer to the establishment of US-Afghan strategic partnership," and "to our share goal and vision of a secure and sovereign Afghanistan," Allen said.

"This means Afghan security forces operating under Afghan law will now be responsible for capturing and detaining the terrorists who try to kill and wound the innocent people of Afghanistan every day," Gen. Allen added.

The captured terrorists will be tried, "in accordance to rule of law," of Afghanistan, Allen said.

The US's detention center in Afghanistan and nighttime and other special operations have been major obstacles on the signing of US-Afghan partnership deal, which those issues prolonged the process of negating between two countries.

The US-Afghan strategic partnership pact will be signed in NATO summit in Chicago in May, Allen said.