U.S. President Barack Obama spoke with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Friday regarding U.S. troops in Afghanistan in the wake of the killing of 16 Afghan civilians by a U.S. soldier.
The White House said the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a plan that calls for Afghan forces to take have full responsibility for security across Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
The two leaders also affirmed that they share the goal of building capable Afghan security forces and strengthening Afghan sovereignty so that Afghans are increasingly in charge of their own security in 2013, the White House said.
The conversation also dealt with Karzai's concerns regarding night raids and house searches as well as his concerns about the presence of foreign troops in Afghan villages.
Obama also reiterated that he looks forward to welcoming Karzai to the NATO Summit in Chicago in May, where they, along with their NATO Allies and ISAF partners, will define the next phase of transition, the White House said.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.