Kabul to Disband Private Security Firms

Hamid Karzai issued the order one day after rejecting US calls to nearly double private security firms in Afghanistan.

On Wednesday, the US Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl W. Eikenberry told Karzai thousands of extra private security guards needed to be recruited to provide security escorts to foreign workers in Afghanistan

"It turned into a serious discussion, the president said we are trying to dismantle private security firms but you want to add another 25,000 to the firms," AFP quoted an unnamed senior official at Karzai's palace as saying.

Karzai said the plan ran counter to the goals of strengthening Afghan forces and national institution-building, the official said.'

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