Presidential Palace, Kabul - H.E. Hamid Karzai, the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is saddened to hear the recent news of civilian casualties from some provinces of Afghanistan , and expresses concern about the occurrence in recent weeks of civilian deaths as a result of counter-terrorist operations of the international coalition forces in Afghanistan .

The Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan reaffirms once again its rock-solid commitment to the war against terrorism, and will continue to work with the international coalition against terrorism in pursuing and defeating terrorist forces in Afghanistan .

However, the Government is also aware of its responsibility to the Afghan people to ensure their safety and protection. The Government, therefore, advises extreme caution to be exercised by all forces while carrying out counter-terrorist operations in civilian areas.