Karzai criticizes US-Russia drugs raid in Afghanistan
By ANISunday, October 31, 2010
KABUL - Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has criticized a large-scale drug raid in which US forces and Russian drug agents took part, calling it a violation of Afghan sovereignty.
US officials have described the seizure of 55.9 million dollars worth of heroin and the discovery of four clandestine drug-producing labs as a major success.
However, Karzai said that he had not been informed of Russia’s participation.
Russian involvement in Afghanistan is particularly delicate because the Soviet Union invaded the country in 1979, and occupied it until it was forced to withdraw nine years later by Mujahideen forces.
“While Afghanistan remains committed to its joint efforts with the international community against narcotics, it also makes it clear that no organization or institution shall have the right to carry out such a military operation without prior authorization and consent of the government of Afghanistan,” the BBC quoted Karzai, as saying in a statement.
“Such unilateral operations are a clear violation of Afghan sovereignty as well as international law, and any repetition will be met by the required reaction from our side,” it added.
The raid came less than a week after Russia’s anti-narcotics chief accused the US of failing to dismantle drug labs and slow down the flow of heroin into Russia. (ANI)
