The Afghan government has reached an agreement with the United States, formally requiring that night raids be Afghan-led and giving local authorities veto power over them.

Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak and the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, General John Allen, signed the deal Sunday at a ceremony in Kabul. Night raids have been a constant source of tension between the Afghan government and the U.S. military.

Afghan officials say foreign forces now will have only a supporting role in the night-time operations, and that these raids will require a warrant issued by Afghan legal authorities.

In a statement, General Allen said the agreement marks a “significant milestone” in continuing to advance Afghan sovereignty and in the shared efforts to formalize a long-term U.S.-Afghan strategic partnership.

There is growing sensitivity in Afghanistan over the presence of foreign troops after a series of incidents, including the massacre of 17 Afghan villagers – for which a U.S. soldier was charged – and the burning of copies of the Quran at a NATO base.

U.S. officials hope Kabul and Washington will be able to reach a strategic partnership agreement in time for next month's NATO summit in the United States. The deal will govern relations between the two sides after the scheduled 2014 pullout of foreign forces in Afghanistan.