Gates plays down afghan shakeup

The United States on Monday played down the impact of the removal of two top Afghan security officials, calling it an internal matter and urging President Hamid Karzai to name new replacements of "equal caliber".

The removal of Interior Minister Hanif Atmar and intelligence chief Amrullah Saleh, who both enjoyed strong US support, took NATO leadership and diplomats by surprise.

"It's obviously an internal matter for the Afghans," US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said. But, citing an insurgent attack last week, Gates added: "It may be that there was a need for accountability in that respect."