Afghanistan's government is taking steps to end a Taliban-linked insurgency that will "finally earn security" for the country, President Hamid Karzai said on Friday, a day after a series of deadly attacks.
The president made the assurances in a specially called press conference at his palace after 21 civilians were killed in one of the country's bloodiest suicide car attacks and four Canadian troops died in combat on Thursday.
US-backed Karzai expressed sorrow at the deaths in southern Kandahar province and condemned the attackers as cowards.
He added that the government and its international allies had a plan to bring security.
"We have begun very broad actions ... You will see some actions that will finally earn security for Afghanistan," he told reporters.
But Karzai could not give a timeframe.
"When dear Afghanistan will be freed from terrorism, no one can know. But the war on terror will continue until we've defeated the terrorism," he said.
Karzai is Afghanistan's first president since a coalition of international forces and Afghan mujahedin commanders overthrew the extremist Taliban regime in 2001.
{{/usCountry}}Karzai is Afghanistan's first president since a coalition of international forces and Afghan mujahedin commanders overthrew the extremist Taliban regime in 2001.
{{/usCountry}}The Taliban had refused to hand over Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, blamed for the September 11, 2001 attacks on US cities and other attacks around the world.
There are thousands of foreign troops in Afghanistan trying to round up Taliban and other militants following the country's slide into poverty and chaos, which led to it becoming a haven for Islamist militants groups.
Karzai said he had consulted with various community and religious leaders and his international partners on a strategy to defeat the insurgents, who have stepped up their attacks in a more organised campaign this year.
"The strategy (is) strengthening Afghanistan's police, military ... strengthening the administration in all aspects," he said.
It also included "serious contacts" with the country's neighbours and partners "to inform them about Afghanistan's realities and through negotiations and contacts to try to stop terrorism."
Karzai has long said that the insurgency cannot be defeated on Afghan soil and that international forces should go for the organisers and financiers of the violence who are based in other countries.
Afghanistan has frequently accused neighbouring Pakistan of failing to tackle militants operating from its territory.