President Hamid Karzai on Sunday ordered US Special Forces to immediately withdraw from Maidan Wardak province of Afghanistan. He accused the forces of torturing, disappearing and even killing civilians in the province bordering the capital Kabul. He ordered the Ministry of Defense to expel all US Special Forces from the key eastern province after accusing American troops or their local Afghan security partners of committing war crimes. President’s Spokesman, Ajmal Faizi has said that the Nation Security Council ordered the Ministry of Defense to remove American Special Forces.

“A recent example in the province an incident in which nine people were disappeared in a an operation by this suspicious force, and in a separate incident a student was taken away at night from his home, whose tortured body with throat cut was found two days later under a bridge”, he added.

President’s order comes about a week after he said that he would restrict Afghan National Security Force (ANSF) from requesting airstrike from foreign troops, although Afghanistan lacks a competent air force. Karzai’s recent order is another episode of his anti-West stand.

In response to Karzai’s order, NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) spokesman has said: "We take allegations of misconduct seriously and go to great lengths to determine the facts surrounding them, but until we've had a chance to talk to senior government of Afghanistan officials, we're not in a position to comment further.”

The security condition in Maidan Wardak province has been deteriorating specially over the last year. Insurgents have been planting IEDs on the main road that is passing through the province to target vehicles of ISAF and ANSF. For better security in Kabul, it is very crucial to have the insurgents operating in Maidan Wardak under thumb. It not only lies very close to the capital but also serves as corridor to central and southern provinces of Afghanistan.

There is no doubt that absence of US Special Forces and confinement of ANSF from requesting airstrike from NATO would make grounds feasible for insurgents to operate more freely. There are possibilities that insurgents might seek help from their fellows stationed in other insecure provinces such as Ghazni, Zabul and Kandahar. To insurgents having a firmer grip over strategically important Maidan Wardak province might be a priority as it the province from where they can create challenges for the Afghan government by posing serious security threatss for the capital Kabul.

Additionally such motives by Afghan government can hinder the process of US-Afghan bilateral talks over the security agreement to specify the quantity and roles of the US troops that will remain in Afghanistan after 2014.

Moreover, operations against militants in areas where they hide among people sometimes bring about civilian casualty. But it is always emphasized that Afghan and foreign security forces must hold all necessary steps to protect civilians. As far as it concerns to foreign allies, the documents show that civilian casualty has dropped tremendously during recent years. The research carried out by creditable organizations like UNAMA confirm the reality that civilian casualty has dropped as result of NATO and US ground and aerial operations. In other words, after harsh controversy with Afghan government and severe criticism of President Karzai from operations leading to civilian casualties, they have taken due steps to bring down the level of civilian casualties.

NATO must investigate the allegations by the Afghan government and come up with a clear instance on the issue. Since withdrawal of US Special Forces from Miadan Wardak and banning of ANSF from requesting airstrike could further add to insecurity in that province and threats to security in Kabul might also grow, therefore, the Afghan government and the US authorities must find a better way out.