KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan’s president said Saturday that the U.S. and NATO troops transferring security to local forces should leave the country’s villages as soon as possible and pull back to their bases.

The U.S. has already said that from mid-2013 on, the United States and its allies would operate from fewer bases and that the withdrawal of military supplies and equipment from Afghanistan would accelerate. But the comments from the Afghan leader suggest he would like to see that process gain some momentum.

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