Karzai warning to Herat governor

Mr Karzai made clear that the Governor, Ismail Khan, would not be allowed to keep a private army.

He said that government troops should be deployed across the country.

Mr Khan, known as the "emir of Herat", is seen by many as one of the main obstacles to President Karzai's efforts to extend his authority outside Kabul.

Private militias

He is one of several regional leaders who have been singled out by the United Nations as resisting a nationwide plan to disarm 40,000 fighters by June.

President Karzai was in Herat for just a few hours on Monday, but it was enough time to make clear he is not going to let any regional leaders keep their own armies.

Standing besides Ismail Khan, who controls one of the country's largest private militias, the Afghan leader said they had not even discussed the disarmament issue.

"We have not discussed these issues today because there is no need to discuss them. There is an agreement already, a decision on it already," he said.

The president signalled that troops from Afghanistan's fledgling national army would remain in Herat despite opposition from Ismail Khan.

Fifteen-hundred soldiers were sent there in March after factional fighting between Mr Khan's men and forces loyal to the central government. One of the casualties was the governor's son.

As his officials were hoping, President Karzai's Herat visit will have given his authority a boost.

But no-one is expecting Mr Khan suddenly to bend to his will.

The Herat governor has warned that reducing his forces any further will lead to a security vacuum, especially if disbanded troops are not able to find alternative jobs.

The Afghan army cannot yet fill the gap, because nationwide it is still only 7,000 strong.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3700257.stm