Panetta says Afghan attacks on NATO troops 'not a trend'

Washington, Mar 27(ANI): US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said that the killing of US and NATO troops by Afghans are sporadic incidents and do not represent a trend.

Panetta said the attacks, including two separate incidents that killed two British troops and one American, should not hinder discussions about how the US should coordinate with the Afghans on military raids into Afghan homes.

Panetta said the so-called green-on-blue attacks, should not erode the trust between both countries.

"There are going to be those that are vengeful, there are going to be those that decide to use this as a way to express their anger and their concern. These still are sporadic incidents, and I don't think they reflect any kind of broad pattern," The Telegraph quoted Panetta, as saying.

The top US commander in Afghanistan, General John Allen, said that the U.S. is "at a pretty delicate moment in the negotiations" over the night raids.

"I am confident that we will end up where we want to be on both sides," Allen said.

Under a draft agreement that is expected to be signed this week, Afghan military units would take a larger role in planning and carrying out the raids, and an Afghan judge or panel would have a say, if not full veto, over the operations. (ANI)