Afghan Leader Warns On Immunity For Foreign Troops

Afghan President Hamid Karzai (right) welcomed NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen to Kabul on October 18.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has warned of possible problems ahead over the sensitive issue of immunity from prosecution for any U.S. or NATO troops deployed in the country after 2014.

The U.S.-led NATO force of more than 100,000 troops is due to end combat operations at the end of that year, but thousands of soldiers are expected to remain in Afghanistan to train and assist Afghan forces.

In Iraq, Washington pulled out all its troops, leaving no residual force, after failing to get Baghdad to grant its soldiers immunity from prosecution in local courts.

Karzai said in a statement that he had told visiting NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen during talks in Kabul on October 18 that the Afghan people might not "permit their government to grant immunity."

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP