Karzai says Afghan civilian deaths could hinder strategic U.S. pact

The strategic pact sealed by U.S. President Barack Obama last week in Afghanistan is at risk of becoming “meaningless” if Afghans do not feel safe, President Hamid Karzai said on Monday, referring to a string of recent civilian casualties by NATO.

Karzai summoned U.S. General John Allen, commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, to his palace to discuss the civilian deaths, a longstanding thorn in ties between Karzai and his Western backers.

The killing of civilians also has soured the feelings of many ordinary Afghans towards foreign forces in a war that is becoming increasingly unpopular and is dragging into its 11th year.

“Karzai signed the strategic pact with the United States to avoid such incidents (civilian casualties) and if Afghans do not feel safe, the strategic partnership loses its meaning,” the presidential palace statement said, referring to an agreement setting out a long-term U.S. role in Afghanistan.

The statement added that dozens of civilians-- including women and children -- had been killed in the eastern provinces of Kapisa and Logar, northwestern Badghis province and the southern Taliban stronghold of Helmand over the past three days in NATO air strikes.

A spokesman for NATO said the air strikes were under investigation, and the palace statement quoted Allen as saying: “I personally take responsibility for these incidents.”

Civilian casualties have always been a sensitive issue in the U.S.-led war against a Taliban insurgency and have often been the cause of tense relations between Kabul and Washington.

Last year, hundreds of angry Afghans across the country took to the streets to protest the killings of civilians by NATO forces, who are planning to leave their combat role by the end of 2014.

Obama swooped into Afghanistan for the one-year anniversary of Osama bin Laden's death on May 2 to sign the strategic partnership, which lays out plans for future aid and advisers.

The deal may provide Afghans with reassurances that they will not be abandoned when most NATO combat troops leave as planned in 2014.

The number of civilians killed in Afghanistan has risen steadily each year for the past five years, reaching a record of 3,021 in 2011, the great majority caused by militants, according to U.N. statistics.