Afghans lash out at NATO night raids

The move followed a news conference in which NATO air strikes and night raids were heavily criticized. The US embassy confirmed the withdrawal but said the move had been under consideration for some time and was part of the transition to Afghan control, and that the timing of the press conference was coincidental.In a sign of the often tense Afghan-US relationship, however, officials at the Government Media and Information Centre (GMIC) said the withdrawal of the three advisors had come as a surprise.This has been under consideration and happened to coincide with the press conference, US embassy spokesman Gavin Sundwall said.A statement from the embassy said the United States was reassessing and reviewing its relationship with GMIC and thought it appropriate to withdraw US personnel while that process is under way.We have been planning to transition US personnel and assistance, and that process has begun. We want to ensure that US support and resources are used efficiently and effectively as the transition takes place, the statement said.NATO-led combat forces, which largely comprise US troops, are being steadily drawn down and Afghan authorities are scheduled to take over full control of security in 2014.In the press conference on Saturday, a delegation appointed by President Hamid Karzai criticised NATO air strikes and night raids for killing innocent civilians for no reason.A GMIC official speaking on condition of anonymity said the widespread belief at the centre was that the United States had pulled its advisors as a direct result of the criticism.Sefatullah Sahaf Safi, the deputy director of the centre, on Wednesday said it was given no notice of the withdrawal and hoped for continued US support.But on Thursday he said he had been ordered not to speak further to the media over the sensitive issue.US funding for the centre has not been withdrawn.