Petraeus hands over Afghan war amid bloodshed

General David Petraeus steps down as US commander in Afghanistan

General David Petraeus, the US commander in Afghanistan, has stepped down.

US General David Petraeus, stands during a change of command ceremony at ISAF headquarters in Kabul Photo: AFP

Gen Petraeus handed over command to John Allen, a general who made his name in Iraq by striking alliances with Sunni leaders.

The handover took place at a change of command ceremony in Kabul, just hours after a key adviser to Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, was shot in during a raid on his home in the capital.

Gen Petraeus, who served as commander of the US-led international force for one year, has claimed some progress against the Taliban with NATO-led troops stabilising parts of the south as Afghan security forces prepare to take over.

The general is leaving to take charge of the CIA.

The Petraeus legacy in Afghanistan remains in question as violence continues to rage, underscored by the shock killings of two of Karzai's top allies in the south - his brother last Tuesday and a senior adviser on Sunday.More...