Afghans to Form Local Forces to Fight Taliban - NYTimes.com

Allauddin Khan/Associated Press

Afghan police officers on Wednesday secured the perimeter of a police base in Kandahar after an attack on the base on Tuesday.

By ALISSA J. RUBIN

KABUL, Afghanistan — After intensive negotiations with NATO military commanders, the Afghan government on Wednesday approved a program to establish local defense forces that American military officials hope will help remote areas of the country thwart attacks by Taliban insurgents.