Critics fear ban could hobble Afghan forces

The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, said he believed the American-led NATO coalition could operate effectively despite the ban.

Afghans now lead about 90 percent of military operations nationwide and will fully take charge in the spring, a key step in the plan to withdraw U.S. and other foreign combat forces by the end of 2014. However, the Afghans remain heavily dependent on the coalition for air support and medical evacuations in areas where the Taliban and other militants live among the population and often enjoy local support.

The ban also runs counter to Afghan requests for NATO to supply their security forces with aircraft capable of carrying out air strikes. The Afghan military has repeatedly implored the United States for jet fighters, such as F-16s, tanks, artillery, and other heavy weapons.

Some analysts said the ban on air strikes against residential areas would limit the Afghan forces' effectiveness and could prompt the savvy Taliban to use the ban by increasingly taking shelter among civilians in cities and villages.

"We don't have the ability to support our forces on the ground," said former Afghan Gen. Amrullah Aman.

"These insurgents are using Afghan houses as bunkers, and innocent children are being killed," he added. "The insurgents will hear that the decree has been issued and feel safe."

The death of civilians during military operations, particularly in air strikes, has been among a major source of acrimony between Karzai's government and foreign forces.