Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Recent Attacks Negate Claims of Improvement in Security Conditions

Amid all optimism of US and Afghan authorities on the improvement in security condition in Afghanistan, the Taliban launched attacks taking lives of Afghan security forces, NATO service members and civilians. On Tuesday night, six people, including four policemen, were killed in Helmand province by Taliban insurgents, who first poisoned their food and then launched an attack on their checkpoint.

While yesterday, a suicide bomber steered his motorcycle into a group of American soldiers and Afghan police in Maimana, the capital city of Faryab province and detonated his explosives, killing as many as 15 people, including three NATO service members, Afghan police and civilians.

As the weather goes warmer, Taliban are to gift more attacks to Afghan people, their soldiers and foreign forces. Already, according to sources, the death toll of coalition forces has hit century since the beginning of 2012.

When military deaths and civilian deaths are occurring on daily basis, high-profile authorities are under serious security threats and Taliban's sympathizers in Afghan security forces launch attacks on foreign soldiers and mentors than talking of progress in Afghanistan is no more than a tale of futility.

No doubt Afghan national army and police have nurtured well but one must not forget that the Taliban are still potent. The Afghan security forces have still a long way to go to defend Afghanistan on their own. They would need more training, weapons, war crafts, technology and consistent investment.

At the point where our soldiers are standing today is attained by the international community's financial and non-financial support in the last decade. Nonetheless, once all the international forces are out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014, the level of the fund Afghanistan is receiving currently would not remain as is and is likely to diminish. Therefore, the question, "Will Afghan army and police be able to stand against enemies after 2014," is hard to answer and has increased concerns among Afghans.

If security is somehow better in a particular region due to deployment of heavy number of security forces, it should not be deemed a success against Taliban. Lowest level of security prevails in a significant number of provinces of Afghanistan.