Turkmenistan and Afghanistan interested in speeding up TAPI pipeline project
26 January
The construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline was one of the of the main issues in negotiations on Wednesday between Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who was paying a working visit to Turkmenistan. During the meeting, which was held in the seaside city of Turkmenbasy (formerly Krasnovodsk), it was noted that the realization of this massive energy project, which was initiated by Turkmenistan, would be significant for all involved parties, primarily Afghanistan. The pipeline with directly help stimulate the Afghan economy, raise investment, solve social issues, including employment, which would have a positive effect on stabilization in the country. According to the project's feasibility study, the 1,735-kilometer TAPI pipeline will run from eastern Turkmenistan, where major gas fields are located, across Afghanistan and Pakistan to the town of Fazilka in India on the Pakistani-Indian border. The gas pipeline will have an annual gas handling capacity of over 30 billion cubic meters. Among the priority areas for intergovernmental partnership are operations in electricity. In this context, Karzai thanked Berdimuhamedow for Turkmenistan's efforts in boosting electricity supply to Afghanistan. (Interfax)

Kazakh prosecutor announces arrest of six Zhanaozen organizers
26 January
Kazakh investigators have identified six people responsible for organizing the mass riots in the town of Zhanaozen in the country's western Mangistau region in December. "Six organizers of the mass disturbances have already been identified. Their surnames are Saktaganov, Dzharylgasinov, Irmukhanov, Dosmagambetov, Utkilov and Tuletayev. They have been charged based on Part 1, Article 241 of the Penal Code and remanded in custody," Kazakh Prosecutor General Askhat Daulbayev said in a statement on Wednesday. Twenty-three active participants in the riots and 11 people accused of looting and destroying property were identified and arrested as well. "Most of them have admitted to organizing the mass riots and participating in them. For example, they said that they had got prepared for these mass disturbances in advance and had involved a group of young people, who made Molotov cocktails and used improvised measures as weapons," the prosecutor general said. Investigators agreed to request pre-trial restrictions rather than detention for 11 people following a petition lodged by a public commission, which assessed their personality, degree of guilt and family situation, Daulbayev said. "Police continue searching for and identifying other organizers and participants in the mass disturbances," he said. Mass riots in Zhanaozen and Shetpe, Mangistau region, on December 16-17, 2011, killed 17 people and injured over a hundred. The Kazakh president announced a state of emergency in the city to last through January 31. (Interfax)

No draftees from Chechnya
27 January
Not a single draftee came from Chechnya in last fall's draft, General Staff deputy head Vasily Smirnov announced Thursday. Smirnov did not provide a specific reason for the lack of draftees, instead saying "[to get draftees] the counting of citizens must be put right, and medical commissions must be created and begin working," Gazeta.ru reported. The Defense Ministry announced last year that no one was drafted from Chechnya in the spring of 2011 either, despite only 100 young men being rejected by medical commissions out of more than 7,000 who underwent medical exams, RBK reported last year. At the time Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov called the ministry's statement "provocative" and dictated by a desire to "play the Chechen card," Gazeta.ru reported. The army did not draft men from Chechnya from the start of the First Chechen War, in 1994, until 2005. Two hundred men were drafted from Chechnya in 2005 but were later sent home. (The Moscow Times)

Three Kazakh opposition leaders jailed over public event
28 January
Three Kazakh opposition leaders were sentenced to more than two weeks' detention and a fourth one had a fine imposed on him for organizing a rally without permission from the authorities. The rally, held in Almaty on Saturday, brought together about 1,000 people. An Almaty court sentenced Bulat Abilov, co-chairman of the Nationwide Social Democratic Party, Amirzhan Kosanov, the party's general secretary, and Amirbek Togusov, chairman of the party's Almaty branch to 15 days' arrest for organizing the event, but Abilov told Interfax he had had an extra three days' detention slapped on him on a disrespect for court charge. The party's chairman, Zharmakhan Tuyakbai, was ordered to pay a fine equivalent to about $220 imposed on him. Abilov and Togusov had fines of the same size imposed on them earlier on, for organizing a rally in Almaty on January 17.  In a closing speech at Saturday's rally, Abilov urged the party's supporters to come to a planned rally on February 25. He called on Kazakhstan to leave the Eurasian Union and Customs Union. The two bodies' other member states are Russia and Belarus. He also said a nongovernmental commission investigating deadly riots in Zhanaozen last month planned to visit the city after the current state of emergency is lifted there. Demands were raised during the rally for the release of arrested opposition activists. (Interfax)

The trade turnover between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan increased 3 times over the past five years
28 January
Turkmenistan Ambassador in Uzbekistan Soltan Pirmuhamedov in an interview to the correspondent BakuToday stated that the Ashgabat and Tashkent over the past five years has increased the turnover between the two countries in 3 times. According to him, the trade with other countries in the region over the past five years increased as follows: with Afghanistan, by 2 times, with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan –1.3 times, and in 1.2 times respectively. “Only for 11 months in 2011, the Turkmen-Uzbek trade turnover grew by 189% and amounted to $505,2 million. The volume of exports increased by 214.7 percent and imports at 153.5%. During this period has been exported to the Uzbekistan goods to the amount of $332,96 million. and imported from Uzbekistan goods amounting to $172,24 mln., “said Pirmuhamedov. He also said that Uzbekistan took the 8-th place in trade with Turkmenistan among 103 countries. “These data suggest that the relations of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan can lead as an example of the trust and friendship between close neighbours and friends. (Baku Today)

Uzbek terrorist leader killed in fight
29 January
An Uzbek militant group leader responsible for a December suicide bomb attack was killed Sunday in a firefight with security forces in Afghanistan. The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader known as Ilhom, responsible for a Christmas Day attack in which killed a Takhar province official, died in a battle with the NATO- and Afghan-led International Security Assistance Force in the province's Taloqan district, an ISAF Joint Command update stated. Another insurgent died and a third was detained during the operation, the report said. Ilhom was also a facilitator for the training of suicide bombers in the area. The ISAF also reported the capture of a Taliban leader in Helmand province, and of a Haqqani network facilitator who produced explosives and planted roadside bombs in Logar province. (UPI)

Kazakh Finance Ministry may mull Eurobonds, Islamic bonds
30 January
Kazakhstan's Finance Ministry may consider issuing Eurobonds and Islamic bonds, said Finance Minister Bolat Zhamishev. "Issuing Eurobond and sukuk depends on the current market conditions and plans of the corporate sector to enter capital markets. The world financial market situation is being monitored constantly," he said at the Ministry's board on Monday in Astana. "In fact, we don't need funds to cover the budget deficit, but if corporations start raising money on capital market and benchmark is relevant, we may issue Eurobonds and Islamic bonds," said Zhamishev. It was reported that the national budget deficit in 2012 is 758.5 billion tenge, or 2.6% of GDP.  Deputy Finance Minister Ruslan Dalenov said last autumn that Kazakhstan might place between $500 million and $1 billion in Eurobonds this year to cover the deficit. The Kazakh government plans to borrow $2.2 billion on the world capital markets this year, Finance Minister Zhamishev said at a meeting of Finance Ministry officials. "In general, the external borrowing in 2012 will amount to nearly $2.2 billion," he said. Zhamishev said the funds raised would go to finance New Astana Transport System, a second phase of the irrigation and drainage system modernization and Western Europe - Western China Transport Corridor. (Interfax)

Kyrgyzstan: Life sentence upheld for fugitive Uzbek leader
31 January
A court in Kyrgyzstan’s southern Jalal-Abad Province has upheld the life sentence that was given to Kadyrjan Batyrov, the fugitive leader of local ethnic Uzbeks. Batyrov, who denies any wrongdoing, obtained refugee status in Sweden in November. Batyrov was tried in absentia by the Jalal-Abad city court in October and sentenced to life in prison for separatist propaganda, inciting interethnic hatred, and organizing clashes between ethnic Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in the southern Jalal-Abad and Osh regions in June 2010. At least 447 people were killed in the clashes and thousands more injured or displaced. A few dozen are still missing. The majority of the victims were ethnic Uzbeks. (RFE/RL)

Obama meets Saakashvili
31 January
U.S. President, Barack Obama, told his Georgian counterpart in Washington on January 30, that Georgia was setting a model of democracy for the region and was now “anticipating fair and free elections” and President Saakashvili said he was leaving the Oval Office “very happy because we basically got what we wanted to get." The U.S. President praised Georgia for “progress that is made in building a sovereign and democratic country”, saying that Georgia should be “extraordinarily proud” of that; he also commended personally Saakashvili, saying that “under the President’s leadership” Georgia “made enormous strides.” “And one of the first things that I did was express my appreciation for the institution-building that’s been taking place in Russia – in Georgia [he immediately corrected himself]; the importance of making sure that minorities are respected; the importance of a police and system of rule of law that is being observed,” the U.S. President said.  On defense and security, President Obama said that he thanked the Georgian leader for his country’s “extraordinary contributions” to the NATO-led operation in Afghanistan, describing Georgia as “one of the most dedicated contributors outside of NATO to the ISAF effort.” (Civil Georgia)

U.S. suspends ban on military assistance to Uzbekistan
2 February
The United States has temporarily waived a ban on providing military assistance to Uzbekistan because of the country's crucial role in transiting supplies to forces in Afghanistan, according to U.S. officials. Washington banned military aid to Tashkent in 2003 amid concern over human rights abuses. The ban was officially lifted on January 18, according to State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, who said supplying the Uzbek government with nonlethal items such as night-vision goggles and GPS systems will support its ability to secure routes to Afghanistan. At a briefing for reporters, Nuland said that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had spoken "very frankly" during a visit to Uzbekistan last fall to Uzbek President Islam Karimov about U.S. support for human rights and the desire to see reforms by Tashkent. Clinton also raised "individual cases" that Washington is particularly concerned about, Nuland said. "Nobody is shying away from having the tough conversation," she added. "That said, we also have other interests and things that we need to protect in our relationship with Uzbekistan." The military sales waiver will expire in September 2013. (RFE/RL)

Kazakhstan lets emergency decree lapse
2 February
A state of emergency instituted in a Kazakhstan oil town during a December wave of labor unrest and was allowed to lapse this week. The emergency decree was lifted Tuesday, five days after President Nursultan Nazarbayev said the crackdown wouldn't be extended because the "situation had taken a normal course." The violence -- the worst in the oil-rich Central Asian nation since it gained independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991 -- claimed 16 lives as striking oil workers in the city of Zhanaozen clashed with security forces. Witnesses said police fired indiscriminately on unarmed strikers during the clashes, the BBC reported. A video circulated on YouTube appears to show demonstrators being shot by riot police, though security officials claimed victims were struck by ricochets. Authorities said three police officers are facing charges related to the violence, while 18 people accused of taking part in the disturbances and looting have been arrested. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake said in Washington Tuesday that Kazakhstan's promises to reform its political system and uphold human rights remain "largely unmet," Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported. Blake, speaking at an event to mark the 20th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence, called for more respect for civil liberties as a way to "institutionalize democracy" in the country and strengthen its ties to the United States. Kazakh Foreign Minister Yerzhan Kazykhanov said at the event his country "embraces democracy" but is still "learning the ropes," RFE/RL reported. (UPI)

Tajik President’s son becomes member of FIFA’s development committee
3 February
Rustam Emomali, the 24-year-old eldest son of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, has been appointed a member of the development committee of FIFA, the world football governing body. The announcement was made on February 3 by Tajikistan's Football Federation. The 18-member committee focuses on the development of the sport in impoverished nations. Seen by some analysts as his father's potential successor to the presidency, Emomali has played professional football for Tajikistan's Istiqlol soccer team. He was recently appointed the head of Tajikistan's Football Federation. In 2011, Emomali left the ruling People's Democratic Party to take up a position in the military. He currently is a department head of Tajikistan's state customs committee. Tajik laws prohibit military personnel from taking part in political activities. (RFE/RL)

Kyrgyzstan: Glass-Hurling World Bank Boss Sparks Scandal
3 February
Kyrgyzstan’s international donor community is buzzing with scandal: The director of the World Bank’s Kyrgyzstan office, Alexander Kramer, apparently hurled a drinking glass at Kyrgyzstan’s new deputy prime minister, Djoomart Otorbayev, on February 3. The incident occurred during a donor meeting at government headquarters, known as the White House, in Bishkek. According to one eyewitness, Kramer had just spoken for a few minutes, praising recent government initiatives and encouraging Bishkek to ensure officials are chosen for their merits. He defended the World Bank’s sometimes slow motions in the country, noting that development is “a marathon rather than a sprint,” according to EurasiaNet's source. During the next set of remarks, by the International Monetary Fund’s country director, Kramer suddenly stood up, yelled, “This is all crap!” and threw the glass, which shattered on the floor in front of Otorbayev. He then stormed out of the room, a video of which made the evening news. Kramer’s LinkedIn profile lists him as having led the World Bank’s office in Kyrgyzstan since August 2010, two months after the deadly interethnic violence that spurred international donors to pledge $1.1 billion in aid. According to recent breakdowns of the country’s foreign debt, Bishkek owes the Bank some$663 million. In a statement quoted by 24.kg, Kramer’s colleague apologized on behalf of the Bank and said the outburst was not directed at anyone, but caused by a “sudden onset of circulatory disorders of the brain.” The news agency also reported that Kramer is under medical supervision. (Eurasianet.org)

EU-Kazakhstan cooperation depends on political reforms in this country –statement
3 February
Cooperation between the European Union and Kazakhstan will depend on the progress of political reforms in this country, says European Commission Vice President and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton. "The EU is committed to strengthen its relations with Kazakhstan through the negotiations or a new enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement," Ashton said in a statement following a meeting with Kazakh Foreign Minister Yerzhan Kazykhanov on Friday. "However, as stated by the EU before, progress in these negotiations will depend on progress on political reforms in Kazakhstan," she said. Ashton and Kazykhanov discussed recent developments over the last months in Kazakhstan. "I recalled my concerns about violent clashes of December 2011 [in Zhanaozen] between striking workers and the police, and the ensuing arrests," she said. Ashton said she called on the Kazakh government to conduct an objective and transparent investigation of the events. "The EU stands ready to support Kazakhstan in this work," she said. The two also discussed "international issues, notably Syria and Iran, and Kazakhstan's role as Chairmanship of the Organization of Islamic Co-operation," she said. (Interfax)

Kazakhstan, U.S. agree on five-year visa for citizens
6 February
An agreement was reached between Kazakhstan and the U.S. to issue 5-year multiple visas for citizens on a reciprocal basis, Kazakh Foreign Ministry Spokesman Altai Abibullayev said at a press briefing on Monday. "The Kazakh side has almost completed all domestic procedures on this issue. We expect for mechanism to be finished in the U.S. in the near future. This is the next step," Abibullayev said. He said the agreement was achieved to facilitate official, business, private, student and tourist visits between the two countries. In the near future, the parties will exchange diplomatic notes regarding agreements on granting five-year visas and standardizing visa fees. (Trend)

Medvedev on Georgia's 'Militarization'
6 February
Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev suggested on February 6, that President Saakashvili, whom he called “insane”, was well aware that the Russian military bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia were capable of “inflicting incommensurable damage to any invader.” “[Military bases] are now in such a condition that they are capable to protect these two small states and correspondingly the Russian interests too in the most powerful way. The weaponry, which is in place [on those bases], is enough to inflict incommensurable damage to any invader and they understand it, even insane Saakashvili understands it,” Medvedev said at a meeting with supporters in his Gorki residence outside Moscow. Medvedev made the remarks after one of the participants of the meeting told him with regret, that although after the August, 2008 war Russia managed to secure international “informal arms embargo” against Georgia, situation was now changing with Georgia “restarting to buy arms from around the world”; this participant of the meeting also said that there were speculations about a trade-off – Russia turning a blind eye on Georgia’s rearmament and in exchange securing Tbilisi’s go-ahead for Russia’s WTO accession. “As far as WTO is concerned – of course that’s nonsense,” Medvedev responded. “We have not been engaged in trade-off with anyone, including with Georgians. We have some trade issues with them [Georgia] and as you know at some point [in 2006] we have banned import of number of [Georgian] products [including wine and mineral waters], there were some other problems as well. I think that in frames of civilized dialogue we should build [trade] relations with our neighbors, restoring, where possible, trade turnover.” (Civil Georgia)

Afghan police ‘poisoned and shot’ in Kandahar
7 February
At least five policemen have been shot dead at a checkpoint in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, officials say. Intelligence officials say the men were first poisoned by a police cook who served them food at the checkpoint. After they collapsed, the men were shot dead. It is unclear if the cook was involved in the shooting but he has since gone missing. A Taliban spokesman said they carried out the attack, but their involvement has not been independently verified. Analysts say it is the latest in a series of similar incidents which have heightened concerns about rogue elements within the security forces. Intelligence officials say it is not yet clear what motivated the cook to poison the men, however he appears to have stolen the weapons, ammunition and communication equipment of the policemen before fleeing in a police vehicle. A spokesman for the governor of Kandahar gave a different account of events, saying the men were shot dead after an argument involving members of a private security firm. There have been several incidents in the past of Afghan security forces being poisoned and then attacked. (BBC)

Azerbaijan again threatens war to retake Nagorno-Karabakh
7 February
Azerbaijan reiterated on Tuesday that it still has the possibility of armed action up its sleeve if current talks to settle its conflict with Armenia over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region prove fruitless. Talks brokered by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe have brought about no progress, Azeri Defense Minister Col. Gen. Safar Abiyev said during a meeting in Baku with the chief of the Turkish general staff, Gen. of the Army Necdet Ozel. For this reason, Azerbaijan keeps building up its armed forces for the possible recapture of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is an Armenian-speaking enclave in Azerbaijan, Abiyev said. The two ministers also discussed military aspects of the overall political situation in the region and Azeri-Turkish military cooperation. (Interfax)

Pakistan says army chiefs meeting with NATO, Afghan Commanders
8 February
Officials say Pakistan's military leadership is holding talks with NATO and Afghan commanders to improve coordination along the Afghan-Pakistani border.  The meeting is the latest bid to repair U.S.-Pakistani relations, which plummeted after a NATO air strike in November killed 24 Pakistani soldiers near the Afghan-Pakistani border. Pakistan rejected a U.S. investigation into the incident, which concluded both sides made mistakes and blamed Pakistani troops for triggering the strike by firing at U.S. special forces. Islamabad says the Pakistani Army's director-general of military operations, Major General Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed, was attending the February 8 talks at a coordination center near the border. Last week, Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabanni Khar visited Kabul and indicated that Islamabad could shortly reopen its Afghan border to NATO supplies, reversing a blockade imposed after the NATO strike. (RFE/RL)

Kyrgyz PM ‘ready to resign’ if link to radioactive coal proven
8 February
Kyrgyz Prime Minister Omurbek Babanov has announced in parliament that he is ready to resign if his alleged involvement in the purchase of almost 9,000 tons of radioactive coal from neighboring Kazakhstan is proven.
The statement comes a day after deputy Myktybek Abdyldaev of the opposition Ata-Jurt (Fatherland) party told parliament that Babanov and President Almazbek Atambaev should be questioned by investigators. Abdyldaev also called for all those involved in the scandal to be put on trial. “The society has a big question now. The Prosecutor-General's Office has to investigate the case thoroughly and make all those guilty in that incident accountable," he said. "Otherwise, the prosecutor-general should be held responsible.” The Prosecutor-General’s Office announced on February 8 that seven officials have been arrested over the decision to permit the coal to be imported and distributed to schools and old people's homes in Kyrgyzstan's Chui region. The investigation was launched in November after local human rights activists revealed that almost 9 tons of coal brought to Kyrgyzstan’s north from Kazakhstan's Qulan mine in September were radioactive. The head of the Kyrgyz government’s information department, Sultan Kanazarov, told RFE/RL that the situation was being discussed between the Kazakh and Kyrgyz companies involved in the coal’s purchase. “At this point, according to confirmed information that I have, the company that imported the radioactive coal [to Kyrgyzstan] has agreed to take the coal out of Kyrgyzstan and return it back [to Kazakhstan] with full coverage of all expenses,” Kanazarov said. Meanwhile, the head of the Kyrgyz Power Stations Joint Stock Company, Aman Tentiev, who is currently visiting Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, told RFE/RL that Kyrgyz and Kazakh officials agreed that the tainted coal would be returned to Kazakhstan and are discussing ways to implement the plan. (RFE/RL)

Turkmen gas cheaper, Islamabad says
8 February
Natural gas from a pipeline from Turkmenistan will be cheaper than rival plans from an Iranian gas field in the Persian Gulf, a Pakistani minister said. Pakistani Minister for Water and Power Naveed Qamar said a pipeline planned from Turkmenistan would go into service as early as 2016. "The price of gas obtained from this project will be cheaper than the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project," he was quoted by Pakistani newspaper the Daily Times as saying. He didn't provide a specific breakdown of costs. The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India natural gas pipeline, he said, was vital for a country coping with an ongoing natural gas shortage. Washington backs TAPI, which has the support of the Asia Development Bank, over a rival project planned from Iran. TAPI partners have expressed concerns about the various charges tied to the pipeline, however. Tehran maintains its part of a natural pipeline is completed, though Western sanctions make it difficult for Iran to find new energy customers. Islamabad last week said it could start receiving natural gas through the Iranian pipeline as early as 2014. (UPI)

Turkmens name police after leader’s father
8 February
Turkmenistan has named a police unit after the authoritarian president's father, echoing a common practice under his predecessor of naming streets and public organizations after the leader's parents. Neutral Turkmenistan state newspaper reported Tuesday that the one-party parliament approved the gesture as recognition for Myalikguli Berdymukhamedov's years of service in the Central Asian nation's Interior Ministry. President Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov exercises unbridled power, but has to date largely refrained from the eccentric megalomaniacal tendencies displayed by the late leader Saparmurat Niyazov, who died in 2006. Several statues were erected in honor of Niyazov's parents and the Women's Union and Veteran's Association were named after his mother and father respectively. (AP)

Ivanishvili on Saakashvili's Options
8 February
Billionaire opposition politician, Bidzina Ivanishvili, called on President Saakashvili to secure free and fair elections and not to try to cling on to power after his presidential term expires; in this case, he said, Saakashvili would be “forgiven” by the Georgian people for his “numerous mistakes,” otherwise he would face marginalization both internationally and in Georgia. “He [Saakashvili] should not be aspiring to remain on any serious post,” Ivanishvili said, referring to speculations that President Saakashvili will try to retain power by becoming a prime minister [1], whose powers will be increased after the new constitution goes into force following the expiration of Saakashvili’s second and final presidential term in late 2013. Ivanishvili said that was the message President Saakashvili received during his U.S. visit, when he met with President Obama [2]. He said it was in the U.S. interests to make Georgia a success story of democracy and “Americans have invested a lot” in this respect in Georgia. “They want Georgia to keep on building on those positive things that have been done in Georgia, but what is happening in recent years is not in the interests of either Georgian people or of the United States,” he said. Ivanishvili said that “the existing reality that we now have in Georgia is not in the interests of the United States”, but the U.S. officials, he said, would not start speaking publicly about it; he argued, that President Obama’s meeting with President Saakashvili in the White House demonstrated this attitude. “Behind the closed doors during the meeting with President Obama, he [Saakashvili] was of course told very precisely, that America will not accept what Saakashvili intends to do –staying in power through tricks; he was told that such a development would be unacceptable for the United States,” Ivanishvili said. (Civil Georgia)

Afghanistan says children killed in NATO airstrike
9 February
Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai accused NATO on Thursday of killing a number of children in an airstrike, a case which could stoke tensions between the government and its western backers over a mounting civilian death doll. The NATO-led coalition in the country did not immediately confirm the deaths, but said it was investigating an incident in the Najrab district of eastern Kapisa province. Civilian deaths have been one of the biggest sources of friction in relations between the Afghan government and NATO ahead of a withdrawal of foreign combat troops in 2014. "President Hamid Karzai strongly condemned an airstrike by foreign troops which resulted in the killing of a number of children," a statement from his office said. Karzai had sent an advisor, Mohammad Zahir Safi, to the area to investigate the incident, the statement added. Mehrabuddin Safi, the governor of Kapisa, said a coalition air strike late on Wednesday killed eight children in Giawa village. Other Afghan officials had earlier said the strike followed a night raid on suspected insurgents. "The matter is currently being assessed by a joint assessment team to determine the facts," a spokesman for the 130,000-strong International Security Assistance Force in the country said. A United Nations report last week said the number of civilians killed and injured in the Afghan war had risen for the fifth year in a row, lifting from 2,790 in 2010 to 3,021 civilian deaths in 2011. Most deaths were caused by insurgents, the report said, but civilian deaths due to NATO air strikes also rose nine percent to 187, and were the coalition's biggest civilian killer. (Reuters)