WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says the U.S. will not change its strategy or objectives in Afghanistan following the shooting of 16 Afghan civilians, allegedly by a U.S. soldier.

Spokesman Jay Carney says the U.S. and its NATO allies are still on course to hand over security control to the Afghans at the end of 2014. Carney says the pace of withdrawal will depend on a variety of factors, but he would not say whether the weekend incident was among those that would be considered.

Carney says the U.S. presence in Afghanistan is helping to dismantle al-Qaida. But he acknowledged that the shooting does not make achieving that and other objectives any earlier.

Carney would not say whether President Barack Obama believes the shooting increases security risks for Americans in Afghanistan.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.