Gen. Petraeus took the ISAF command after President Barack Obama sacked the former ISAF commander Gen. Stanly McChrystal.

During the change of command ceremony held in Kabul, Gen. Petraeus said that he is committed to Afghanistan security and stability and elimination of Taliban and Al-Qaeda terrorist network in Afghanistan and insisted that his war policy would not change.

“In answer, we must demonstrate to the people and to the Taliban that Afghan and ISAF forces are here to safeguard the Afghan people, and that we are in this to win.  That is our clear objective.” Gen. Petraeus said.

He said that ISAF under his leadership would continue to work closely with its Afghan partners to secure Afghanistan to increase the capacities of Afghan security forces.

“We must help Afghan leaders develop their security forces and governance capacity so that they can, over time, take on the tasks of securing their country and see to the needs of their people.” Gen. Petraeus said.

The new commander also said that ISAF forces under his leadership would continue to minimize the killing of Afghan civilians during the operations on the ground.

The new ISAF commander also praised the former ISAF commander Gen. Stanly McChrystal for his efforts to carry out the comprehensive civilian, military and counterinsurgency campaigns in the country.

“We have all worked hard together over the past year-and-a-half to get the inputs right in Afghanistan – to build the organizations needed to carry out a comprehensive, civil-military counterinsurgency campaign”. He added.

Photo: Rahim Aria