With the dawn of 2012, one of the provinces of Afghanistan where security has gone really concerning is the southern province of Kandahar. In January only, more than two dozens of people majorly civilians have been the victims of terrorism. Kandahar is the spiritual home of Taliban but it is also the birth place of Mr. Hamid Karzai. Securing Kandahar has remained a great challenge for Karzai's government.

Since last year when Ahmad Wali Karzai, brother to Karzai and Head of Kandahar Provincial council and Khan Muhammad Mujahid, Head of Kandahar Police, were assassinated in targeted killings, Taliban seem to have more hold on the province launching a series of terrifying activities including suicide and IED attacks, abductions and targeted killing.

Deeming that controlling Kandahar is more like controlling all the Afghanistan, over the last ten years, the NATO and Afghan Security Forces launched a number of military operations under various titles in the province. But all in vain, as Kandahar resembles a never healing injury. It has remained a center of terrorism, drug trafficking and lawlessness. Life has not changed for the Kandaharis, especially the women as Taliban have great influence and control all over the province except Kandahar's main city.

As the NATO forces are withdrawing transitioning security responsibilities of Afghanistan to its own army and police, concerns over controlling insecure provinces such as Kandahar grow high. A province, where security has gone worse in the presence of tens of thousands of international troops, if transferred to Afghan security forces, will definitely mean putting it on the verge of collapse.

Need mention that Kandahar was among the very first provinces that fall in the hands of Taliban during 90s. They are still popular as protectors of Islam among the populace living in that province. The long but porous border shared between Kandahar of Afghanistan and Baluchistan of Pakistan has largely assisted the Taliban in their fight strategy and weapons and funds supply.

Failure in Kandahar would mean losing hold in all the southern parts of Afghanistan and that is what the Taliban want. In the next phases of transition process, a great number of southern districts are expected to fall in Afghan control. Here is where more caution will be required or else transition would mean giving away the southern provinces of Afghanistan Taliban.