KABUL, Jan 20: A frustrated President Hamid Karzai said on Tuesday that the US and other western military allies had not heeded his calls to stop air strikes in civilian areas in Afghanistan, warning the fight against militants could not be won without popular support from Afghans.

Addressing parliament at its opening session, Mr Karzai urged the US to follow a new military strategy in Afghanistan that would increase cooperation with Afghan forces and officials to prevent the killing and maiming of civilians.

“We will not accept civilian casualties on our soil during the fight against terrorism and we cannot tolerate it,” he said.

The Afghan president said his government sent a letter to the Nato-led command in Kabul two weeks ago complaining about civilian casualties, arrests and house-searches. It was the fourth such letter sent to western military leaders in Afghanistan.

Mr Karzai’s continued return to the theme suggests efforts by Nato and the US to stem such killings had not satisfied the Afghan government. US and Nato-led troops say militants deliberately use civilians as human shields in their fight against foreign and Afghan troops, and there have been multiple disputes over whether some of those killed in operations were civilians or militants.

The latest dispute arose two weeks ago, when the US military said its troops killed 32 militants in the eastern province of Nangarhar, while Karzai said 17 of those killed were civilians.

“For years the Afghan people have come to me and said, ‘We are allies and we are committed to fighting terrorism and we welcomed the international community in Afghanistan — why are we the victims of the air strikes?’ ” Mr Karzai said.

Civilian deaths undermine Mr Karzai’s support ahead of his re-election bid this year. They also sap the support that foreign troops need to help the government extend its reach across the country.

US Gen David McKiernan, the commanding officer of all Nato and US troops in Afghanistan, issued a directive to troops in September meant to reduce the number of casualties. Commanders have said they are advising troops to break off a battle with militants rather than risk firing into a civilian area and harming ordinary Afghans.

Violence has been rising across Afghanistan in recent years.—AP