Afghans to involve citizens to reduce Kabul crime

By Hamid Shalizi

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan police have launched a "neighbourhood watch" programme to enrol civilians in the fight against rising crime in the capital, Kabul, the interior minister said on Thursday.

The $2 million programme is backed by the United States.

"Civilians will have certain duties of cooperation with police in providing intelligence, and identifying vulnerable locations and suspected individuals to enhance better security," minister Zaraar Ahmad Moqbel said.

Security is deteriorating as Afghan and foreign forces fail to bring the Taliban insurgency under control. Rising food prices only add to poverty in a country which is already one of the poorest in the world. Life expectancy is only around 44 years.

A rash of kidnappings for ransom by criminal gangs has sown fear among families of Afghanistan's fledgling business class, and many have started to leave.

Moqbel said Afghan police could not tackle the crime on their own.

A U.S. official said he was hopeful that the participation of citizens would help improve security.

"We strongly believe that best security solutions are the ones that Afghans themselves come up with, and the United States is proud to be able to help in facilitating this programme," said Major General Robert W. Cone of the Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan in charge of police training.