Karzai sets deadline for security firms in Afghanistan

The Afghan president Hamid Karzai will give private security firms operating in the war-torn country four months to dissolve, his spokesman said. "Today the president is going to issue a four-month deadline for the dissolution of private security companies," Waheed Omer said. Mr Omer gave notice last week that Mr Karzai intended to deal with private security firms, calling it "a serious programme that the government of Afghanistan will execute".

He said private security companies employ 30,000-40,000 armed personnel throughout Afghanistan. These are employed by more than 50 companies, roughly half of them Afghan and half international. Mr Omer said last week that Mr Karzai had spoken to his Western backers as well as leaders of the US and NATO's International Security Assistance Force who contract the companies to safeguard many aspects of their work, including supply convoys.

*AFP