Afghan President Hamid Karzai is moving to curb foreign involvement in anti-corruption investigations, a contentious issue that has strained relations with the United States.
Attorney General Ishaq Aloko says Mr. Karzai has called for new rules that would ban international bodies from having direct involvement in graft probes conducted by the Major Crimes Task Force and Special Investigative Unit. Both operate under Afghanistan's Interior Ministry.
Mr. Karzai still wants foreign advisors to provide logistical and technical assistance to the anti-corruption units said Aloko.
The Washington Post newspaper reports Thursday that the proposed changes have alarmed U.S. officials, prompting efforts to persuade Mr. Karzai to soften the new rules.
The United States has been pressuring Mr. Karzai to step up efforts to root out corruption in his government, leading to sometimes tense relations between the two sides.
The U.S. fears corruption is boosting the Taliban-led insurgency and complicating efforts to strengthen governance so that U.S. forces can hand over responsibility to Afghanistan by next year.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
