Karzai Challenges U.S. On Night Raids And Civilian Casualties

Afghan President Hamid Karzai

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has told a visiting U.S. congressional delegation that the American military must scale back night raids and military operations causing civilian casualties.

The call came as Karzai met John Boehner, U.S. house speaker, who is leading a six-member delegation from the House of Representatives.

Civilian casualties during military operations and night raids are highly sensitive issues in Afghanistan and are a repeated source of tension between Karzai's administration and its Western allies.

Boehner is the most senior Republican in the U.S. Congress and second in line for the country's presidency after Vice President Joe Biden.

The delegation visited Iraq on April 17 and was in Pakistan on April 18.

compiled from agency reports