Hagel, Karzai Press Conference in Kabul Cancelled

The Karzai government also alleged that U.S.-led forces working alongside Afghans were abusing and arresting university students.

Defense Sec. Chuck Hagel visits the Jalalabad air base in Afghanistan. Photo courtesy: euronews.com

(KABUL VOA News) - U.S. officials say security concerns forced the cancellation of a scheduled news conference Sunday in Kabul with U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Authorities did not elaborate on the security issues, but a day earlier, two suicide bombings -- one in Kabul and the other in Khost -- killed 19 people. The bombing in Kabul targeted the Afghan Defense Ministry as Hagel was visiting the capital.

The press conference cancellation is the latest event to mark Hagel's first visit to Afghanistan as the new Pentagon chief.

Earlier Sunday, President Karzai accused the Taliban of being "at the service of America" by using attacks like the ones on Saturday to frighten Afghans into wanting foreign forces to remain in Afghanistan beyond the 2014 deadline.

The top U.S. general in Afghanistan General Joseph Dunford sharply rebuked the president's comments by saying, "we have fought too hard over the past 12 years... shed too much blood... to ever think that violence or instability would be to our advantage."

The Karzai government also alleged that U.S.-led forces working alongside Afghans were abusing and arresting university students.

Hagel comes to Afghanistan as it struggles with the United States over control of detention facilities and the pace for foreign troop withdrawal. A ceremony to transfer U.S. control of a main detention facility to Afghanistan Saturday also was cancelled as a deal struck between the two governments broke down.

Last month, Hagel's predecessor, Leon Panetta, said that NATO allies were considering leaving between 8,000 and 12,000 international troops in Afghanistan after 2014. Currently, there are about 100,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan.

Source: VOA News