"It is another sign of steady progress that the government of Afghanistan has announced the fourth tranche of the transition process," Xinhua quoted Panetta as saying in a statement Monday.
Earlier in the day, Karzai announced that Afghanistan had entered the second to last stage of the transition of security responsibility from NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to Afghan security forces.
Afghanistan's security transition is scheduled to take place in five tranches, or stages. As part of the fourth tranche, 12 Afghan provinces entered the security transition process, ISAF officials said.
The country now has 23 of its 34 provinces under transition process.
US President Barack Obama has announced a withdrawal strategy that would see security responsibilities transferred to Afghans by the end of 2014.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app