In his inauguration speech at the Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he wants private security companies to stop operating in his country within two years. (Anja Niedringhaus/Associated Press)

Canada's Conservative government joined several other countries in backing Afghan President Hamid Karzai as he was sworn in for a second term on Thursday.

Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon, representing Canada at the inauguration, called it an "important day for the democratic development of Afghanistan."

"This president is a legitimate president," he said in a conference call with journalists following the ceremony.

About 800 Afghan and foreign officials were in the capital, Kabul, for the ceremony, including U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

Karzai vowed during his inauguration that his country's security forces would take control of the country within five years.

As Karzai was being sworn in for a second five-year term as president, a suicide bomber killed 10 civilians in a crowded market in southern Afghanistan.

'Trying our best'

Karzai said he wants all private Afghan and foreign security companies to cease operating in Afghanistan within two years. The next milestone will be to have foreign soldiers stand down from their military missions.

"We are determined that by the next five years, the Afghan forces are capable of taking the lead in ensuring security and stability across the country," he said, adding that foreign troops would only handle support and training.

He said he believed the "problem of international terrorism" in his country can be overcome.

"We are trying our best to implement social, judicial and administrative reforms in our country," Karzai said. "Being a president is a heavy task, and we will try our best to honestly fulfil this task in the future."

Faced with intense international pressure to eliminate graft, Karzai also promised to prosecute corrupt government officials.

Vows to fight corruption

"Those who spread corruption should be tried and prosecuted," he said. "Corruption is a very dangerous enemy of the state."

He also said his government would get serious about combating the country's drug trade.

Karzai's inauguration followed a contentious election that saw him declared the winner when a two-man run-off was cancelled after his competitor dropped out prior to the vote. Abdullah Abdullah pulled out because, he said, the run-off could not be conducted freely or fairly until changes were made to the country's electoral commission.

The first round of national voting held prior to the run-off was marred by widespread electoral fraud.

Cannon admitted the elections were not without "significant problems" and said it was important for them to be dealt with quickly ahead of parliamentary elections in 2010.

"An immense task lies ahead of President Karzai," Cannon said. "He must give his people hope in their future and confidence in their government."

10 civilians die in blast

As Karzai embarked on his second term in office, 10 civilians in the south were killed in a blast that erupted after Afghan troops shot a suicide bomber wearing a vest packed with explosives, Afghan officials said.

The bomber tried attacking a convoy of Afghan security forces in a crowded market and was fired upon, Uruzgan province police Chief Juma Gul Himat said.

Afghan police said 13 people were also wounded.

A media officer for NATO-led forces confirmed several civilians were killed in a suicide bomb blast.

With files from The Associated Press