German poll: Most Afghans view NATO soldiers as occupiers

Most Afghans see NATO troops as occupiers in their country, according to a poll released Tuesday by the conservative Konrad-Adenauer Foundation linked to Germany's ruling Christian Democratic party. Some 56 percent of those questioned regard the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) as an occupying force. Meanwhile, only 44 percent of the respondents said NATO troops were not occupiers. The head of the KAS office in Afghanistan, Babak Khalatbari called the result 'worrisome.' Only 22 percent of Afghans expressed satisfaction with the state of security in their country, some 10 years after the start of the Afghan war. NATO forces plan to withdraw gradually from the war-stricken country by the end of 2014. Some 5,000 Afghans were polled for the survey, conducted by the KAS and Kabul University.