Governor Told His Army Will Be Curbed

President Hamid Karzai told one of the country’s most powerful regional leaders that a big cut in his private army was inevitable in advance of Afghan elections in September. Karzai spoke a day after his host, Herat Gov. Ismail Khan, said the plan to reduce his forces would create a “security vacuum.”

The United Nations warned last week that stalling by Khan and other militia leaders was endangering a Defense Ministry agreement to disarm 40,000 fighters by the end of June. Karzai and the United Nations say disarmament is vital if the elections are to be free and fair.