NATO Suspends Training Of Some Afghan Forces

Afghan local police following completion of training in Baghlan Province in 2011

NATO officials say they are temporarily halting training for local police and special operations forces in Afghanistan in an attempt to stop insider attacks on foreign troops.

"The New York Times" cites a NATO spokesman as saying training will continue for the more than 350,000 members of Afghanistan's National Army and national police. But training will be suspended for the additional 20,000 Afghans making up the local police and special forces units, while their American trainers introduce a stricter vetting process for new recruits.

The move comes as a total of 15 American and international special operations forces have been killed in the past month in attacks by Afghan trainees.

NATO is due to hand over command of combat operations to Afghan forces within a year's time.


Based on reporting by "The New York Times" and "The Washington Post"