By Agencies

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The Afghan government has reached a crucial deal with the US to take control of controversial night raids from American forces.

During a meeting of his national security council on Sunday, President Hamid Karzai approved a memorandum of understanding on "Afghanisation of special operations on Afghan soil," the president's office said in a statement.

The document was signed on Sunday by General Abdul Rahim Wardak, Afghan defence minister, and the US commander of NATO forces, General John Allen.

"Today we are one step closer to the establishment of the US-Afghan strategic partnership. Most importantly, today we are one step closer to our shared goal and vision of a secure and sovereign Afghanistan," Allen said at the deal's signing.

Details were not immediately released, but the name of the memorandum suggests that it will apply to a range of quick-strike raids in villages, not just night-time operations.

The strategic agreement will chart the long term relations between the countries after US forces withdraw by 2014.

Night raids have been a constant source of tension between the Afghan government and US military.

The Afghan president has called previously for all international night raids to cease, saying that they were provocative when carried out by the foreign troops.

The US military has said such operations are key to capturing Taliban fighters.