Obama says U.S. begun to reverse insurgent momentum

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Wednesday that U.S.-led forces had begun to reverse the momentum of the insurgency in Afghanistan and would do everything it could to avoid civilian casualties in the war.

"We have begun to reverse the momentum of the insurgency," said Obama in a joint news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in which he also said the United States backed Afghan efforts to open the door to Taliban members who renounced violence and links to al Qaeda.

(Reporting by Sue Pleming and Matt Spetalnick)