Afghanistan to ban private security firms

KABUL - Afghan President Hamid Karzai plans to disband all foreign and domestic private security companies by next year, his chief spokesman said Monday.

“The government of Afghanistan has decided that the security companies have to go. That will be done within coming four months,” Waheed Omer told a press conference in Kabul.

A presidential decree expected to be issued late Monday would detail the process to eliminate private security firms.

The US government has relied heavily on security contractors to protect diplomats and convoys. US State Department spokesman PJ Crowley told reporters in Washington that Karzai’s decision was being reviewed but added there is an important need for the contractors until the Afghan government can take on greater responsibility.

“At this moment we believe that there is still a need for private security companies to continue to operate in Afghanistan,” he said. “We certainly agree that, over time, this responsibility should transition to the government of Afghanistan.”

Afghan officials have repeatedly said that security companies operating outside Kabul’s oversight have undermined the authority of the government. They are also accused of being involved in armed robbery and abductions.

Around 52 firms including 26 foreign private security companies operate in the country. Most of them are assigned to protect NATO military bases around the country, or escort their supply convoys in hostile regions.

“It is not about regulation of activities of private security companies, it is about their presence and it is about the way they function in Afghanistan and it’s about the way they have developed into alternative forces from the government of Afghanistan,” he said.

According to the US military, there are about 26,000 private security contractors working for US operations in Afghanistan, 19,000 of them with the military.

The move would affect up to 40,000 foreign and Afghans security personnel employed in the country. The government planned to recruit the Afghan guards as police and soldiers once their companies are dissolved.