NATO expresses 'deep concern' to Karzai
This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Brussels • NATO's top official has expressed deep concern to Afghan President Hamid Karzai over the surge of assaults by Afghan troops on their foreign allies.
Spokeswoman Carmen Romero said Karzai had assured Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in a phone conversation Wednesday that he was doing all he could to stop the attacks.
The spike of insider attacks — 45 NATO troops have perished this year — has sparked concerns that Afghan forces will not be capable of taking over security by 2014 as planned.
U.S. Gen. John R. Allen, who commands NATO's 129,000-strong force, briefed the alliance's top decision-making body on Wednesday about the attacks.