KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Afghan soldiers who have families living in Pakistan are being ordered to leave the military if they don't move their relatives to Afghanistan, officials said.
The Washington Post said the new policy, created in response to recent incidents involving Afghan soldiers with ties to insurgent groups in Pakistan, could aggravate problems between the two countries.
The policy has yet to receive final approval but is already being implemented in some parts of the country, the newspaper said Friday,
Afghan counterintelligence officials say there are several hundred soldiers based in southern Afghanistan who visit Pakistan during their time off from the military.
The Post said Afghan soldiers often leave their families in Pakistan because they feel they will be safer there.
Afghan military leaders say soldiers with family members in Pakistan can be influenced and intimidated by insurgent groups. Pakistan denies it provides insurgents with support.
The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees says about 1.7 million Afghans live in Pakistan.
