Afghanistan disbands security firms

 Press TV

The Afghan president has officially disbanded all domestic and foreign private security firms operating in the country effective within four months.

"I approve the full disbandment of private security companies, both national and international, within four months," Afghan President Hamid Karzai said in a decree on Tuesday.

The order follows a recent speech in which Karzai condemned foreign interference in Afghan affairs.

Karzai said no Afghan administration would be successful as long as it has foreign advisers instead of aboriginal advisers, emphasizing that the Afghans have the ability to rule and govern the country on their own.

The Afghan president 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 move spotlights misconduct of US mercenaries, who are contracted to protect the western embassies and companies in central and remote regions of Afghanistan.

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.

US State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley reacted to Karzi's orders with caution, saying that US officials are studying the presidential decree.

"Well, at this moment, we believe that there is still a need for private security companies to continue to operate in Afghanistan. We certainly agree that over time this responsibility should transition to the government of Afghanistan," he said

"I think we have a shared goal of improving oversight and management. We will continue to work with the government of Afghanistan as a deliberate process to kind of -- to move to where this responsibility can transition to the government of Afghanistan," CNN quoted Crowley as saying.