US special forces must leave eastern province: Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghanistan's president on Sunday ordered all United States (US) special forces to leave a strategically important eastern province within two weeks because of allegations that Afghans working with them are torturing and abusing other Afghans.

The decision seems to have caught the coalition and US Forces Afghanistan, a separate command, by surprise. Americans have frequently drawn anger from the Afghan public over issues ranging from Qurans burned at a US base to allegations of civilian killings.

"We take all allegations of misconduct seriously and go to great lengths to determine the facts surrounding them," the US forces said in a statement.

Also on Sunday, a series of attacks in eastern Afghanistan showed insurgents remain on the offensive even as US and other international forces prepare to end their combat mission by the end of 2014.