Afghanistan: Hamid Karzai alleges US, Taliban are colluding

Kabul: Afghan President Hamid Karzai is accusing the Taliban and the US of working in concert to convince Afghans that violence will worsen if foreign troops leave.

Karzai says two deadly suicide bombings on Saturday show the insurgent group is conducting attacks "at the service of America" to help show that international forces will still be needed to keep the peace after their current combat mission ends in 2014.

Karzai, who spoke on Sunday during a nationally televised speech about the state of Afghan women, is currently negotiating a pact with the US for the long-term presence of American forces.

Hamid Karzai accused the Taliban and the US of working in concert to convince Afghans that violence will worsen if foreign troops leave.

There was no immediate response from the US-led military coalition. It is unclear what prompted Karzai's remarks, but the Afghan president has previously made inflammatory comments as an apparent negotiating tactic.

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