General David Petraeus the commander of NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) handed over the command to his successor the U.S. General John Allen in Afghan capital Kabul on Monday.

Outgoing ISAF commander General David Petraeus speaks during a change of command ceremony at ISAF compound in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, on July 18, 2011. (Xinhua/Omid) 
In a ceremony held in ISAF headquarters amid tight security, General David Petraeus, the U.S. commander of over 140,000-strong NATO-led troops, handed over the command to his successor General John Allen.

Before assuming the command of NATO-led troops in Afghanistan, General Allen had served as deputy commander of U.S. Central Command from July 2008 to June 2011, a statement released by ISAF here said.

Gen. Allen was promoted to the rank of four-star general by Adm. Mullen prior to the change of command, the statement further added. "Throughout, we will keep our eyes on the horizon of the future of Afghanistan, a nation of free people at peace, governed under its constitution, pursuing economic enterprise and development, in a secure and stable environment free from the extremism and terrorism that has plagued this wonderful country and its people for more than a generation," Gen. Allen said in his speech after taking over the command from General Petraeus.

Gen. Petraeus, who took the command of NATO-led ISAF force in Afghanistan in July 2010, will retire from the military later this summer and become director of U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), ISAF statement added.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet