Anti-corruption units free to work in Afghanistan

After "tough" talks with US Senator John Kerry, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said yesterday he would make sure that two Western-backed anti-corruption units could pursue investigations free of outside interference or political meddling.

Mr Kerry, chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Karzai that his efforts to battle corruption were crucial if he wanted to retain the support of US taxpayers at a time when more American troops are dying in the war.

Mr Kerry said his meetings with the Afghan leader were marked by candour and sometimes "very tough conversation".

His visit follows the arrest of one of Karzai's top advisers, Mohammad Zia Salehi, for allegedly accepting a car in exchange for help in exerting pressure on Afghan officials to ease off in a corruption case. US officials see Salehi's arrest as a test of Karzai's willingness to fight corruption.