Donor countries add corruption rider to 16-bn Afghan aid package

Afghanistans President,Hamid Karzai,appealed to the representatives of more than 70 countries at the conference not to abandon his country as the United States and NATO troops begin withdrawing next year.

The donors responded to Karzai by saying that 20 per cent of the funds would only be released if Afghanistan was more accountable on how money was disbursed.

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said that the lives of Afghans must improve. That must include fighting corruption,improving governance,strengthening rule of law,increasing accessibility to economic opportunity for all Afghans,specifically for women, she said.

The Obama administration has asked Congress to provide 2.5 billion for Afghanistans civilian needs for 2013,US officials said.

Blasts,attacks kill 23 in Afghanistan

Kabul: Roadside bombs and insurgent attacks killed 16 Afghan civilians,five policemen and two members of the US-led coalition in southern Afghanistan,Afghan and NATO authorities said Sunday. The civilians,including women and children,were killed in a trio of blasts in Kandahar. The policemen were killed while responding to a gun battle being waged against insurgents in Helmand province. Separately,one NATO service member was killed in in a roadside bomb explosion Saturday and the other during an insurgent attack on Sunday. AP