CHICAGO President Barack Obama and leaders of the United States' NATO allies formally agreed Monday to hand over the primary role in providing security in Afghanistan to the Afghans themselves next summer, beginning the end of U.S. involvement in a decade-long war.

A soldier from Virginia has died in battle in Afghanistan.   Capt. Jesse A. Ozbat, 28, of Prince George, died Sunday in Tarin Kowt, the Department of Defense said today in a news release. Ozbat died from injuries suffered when his unit was attacked with a homemade bomb.  

A soldier assigned to Fort Bragg in North Carolina has died from injuries suffered in Afghanistan.   Spc. Samuel T. Watts, 20, of Wheaton, Ill., died Saturday in Bethesda, Md., of injuries suffered April 25 in Zharay, the Department of Defense said today in a news release. Watts was attacked with a homemade bomb.  

CHICAGO  President Barack Obama was every bit the garrulous host during the Sunday kickoff of the NATO summit in his hometown.

But nothing he said mattered as much as these words: “The Afghan war as we understand it is over” with the withdrawal of ground forces at the end of 2014, he told journalists.

RICHMOND An Armed Forces Day welcome home parade in Richmond has honored returning Iraq War veterans.

By Ben Feller and Jamey Keaten

WASHINGTON In his first visit to the Oval Office, French President Francois Hollande declared he will withdraw all French combat troops from Afghanistan by year's end. His declaration made clear to President Barack Obama that the timeline for ending the U.S.-led war will not trump a campaign pledge that helped Hollande gain his new job.

By Donna Cassata

WASHINGTON The House endorsed the continued war in Afghanistan on Thursday despite acknowledgment from Republicans and Democrats that Americans are war-weary after more than a decade of conflict.

By Kevin Sieff

KABUL A former Taliban leader-turned peace negotiator was assassinated Sunday by three unidentified gunmen in a brazen attack in the Afghan capital, hours before leaders here announced the next phase in the country's security transition.

By Kevin Sieff

KABUL Afghan commanders have refused more than a dozen times within the past two months to act on U.S. intelligence regarding high-level insurgents, Afghan officials say. The commanders contend that nighttime operations to target the men would result in civilian casualties.