Karzai sworn in as Afghan president

Kabul: Afghan President Hamid Karzai says his country's security forces should take the lead in tackling the insurgency, and that the forces should be able to take control of security in the next five years.

Speaking during his inauguration ceremony in the presidential palace Thursday, Karzai also addressed corruption, saying that officials who are corrupt should be "tried and prosecuted." Karzai has come under intense international pressure to tackle the issue, and he described corruption as a "dangerous enemy of the state."

The president stressed he wants "expert" and competent ministers in his government, and said his administration would seriously fight drug traffickers.