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Karzai Condemns US, Russia Drug Raid


Afghan President Hamid Karzai listens during a press conference in Kabul, Afghanistan, 25 Oct 2010
Afghan President Hamid Karzai listens during a press conference in Kabul, Afghanistan, 25 Oct 2010

Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned a recent drug raid by U.S. and Russian forces as a violation of Afghan sovereignty.

U.S. and Russian officials say they seized a metric ton of heroin from four clandestine laboratories earlier this week in Nangarhar province, near the border with Pakistan.

Mr. Karzai was outraged, saying in a statement Saturday that he was not previously informed of the operation.

U.S. and Russian officials have both said that Afghan forces were involved in the raid.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told Itar-Tass news agency Saturday that Russia was satisfied with the operation and plans to continue to cooperate in the fight against drug trafficking.

Russia has been wary of supporting NATO military operations in Afghanistan but has called on NATO to do more to combat the Afghan heroin trade.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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