NATO has said it accepts President Hamid Karzai's order banning Afghan security forces from calling in foreign air strikes in residential areas, BBC News reported.

The commander of the US-led NATO forces, Gen Joseph Dunford, said NATO respected Afghan sovereignty and had other ways to support Afghan forces.

Karzai announced his decree followed last week's killing of 10 civilians in a night raid in eastern Kunar province.

Civilian casualties are a source of tension between Afghan and NATO forces.