The head of Nato said on Tuesday there would be no deadline for the exit of allied troops from Afghanistan, as fears grow among Afghans that foreign forces will leave before their own troops are able to guarantee security. Nato Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen was visiting Afghanistan for the first time since US President Barack Obama announced plans this month to send 30,000 extra troops to Afghanistan to try and tame mounting violence.
Nato allies have also promised to send around 7,000 more. But Washington's plan also calls for US troop levels to be scaled down from 2011 as Afghan security forces gradually take over responsibility, sparking concerns among Afghan civilians. Unrest has reached its worst levels in the eight-year war, and many fear that bombings and attacks may rise if their police and troops have not been well-enough prepared for their new responsibilities.