Nato deal on targeting Afghan drugs trade

NATO allies reached a deal yesterday on a US call for direct attacks on the Afghan drugs trade that the alliance’s military commander said is key to bringing security to the country, NATO said.

Nato operations commander General John Craddock has asked for the alliance force in Afghanistan to be allowed to attack laboratories, trafficking networks and drug lords to stem a trade that helps fund the Taliban insurgency.

A Nato spokesman said Nato defence ministers reached an agreement that tougher action by the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) could be taken, based on requests by the Afghan government and UN Security Council resolutions under the alliance’s current operations plan.