Top U.S. commander apologizes to Hamid Karzai for drone strike killing child

Top U.S. commander in Afghanistan has apologized to President Hamid Karzai for a drone strike that killed a child, after the incident threatened efforts of getting the security pact signed before 2014 withdrawal.

Marine General Joseph Dunford called Karzai to express "deep regrets for the incident and any civilian casualties," CBS News reports.

According to the report, the NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), will conduct a joint investigation with the Afghans to determine the facts of the incident.

A Pentagon spokesperson said ISAF has always acknowledged any instances involving allegations of civilian casualties and taken action to apologize and made compensations in the past.

Karzai, meanwhile, said that all airstrikes and foreign raids on Afghan homes must stop for him to sign the pact that would allow thousands of American troops to stay in the country beyond the 2014 withdrawal deadline.