Nato hands security to Afghan forces as Kabul blast kills three

 
In this Saturday, June 15, 2013 photo, Afghan National Army solider's attend their graduation ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan. One of the most significant turning points in one of America's longest and costliest wars is imminent: Afghanistan's fledgling security forces are taking the lead for security nationwide, bringing the moment of truth on the question of whether they are ready to fight an insurgency that remains resilient after nearly 12 years of conflict. That question is especially pressing here in this border region where insurgents regularly ambush government forces and control parts of the countryside.

Afghan forces today took the security lead for the whole of the war-torn country as a bomb blast in Kabul killed three people.

At a ceremony, Afghan president Hamid Karzai hailed the hand-over as a “historic moment” in the 12-year conflict.

But former Afghan military leaders are warning that districts could swiftly fall back into the hands of the Taliban once Coalition troops leave.

British, US and other Coalition combat troops will remain in the country until the end of 2014.

But day-to-day patrols will be carried out by Afghan troops, with Allied forces being called in as back-up when needed, mainly carrying out airstrikes and medical evacuation.

The UK, America and other nations involved in the International Security Assistance Force will now press on with their withdrawal plans.

“This is a historic moment for our country and from tomorrow all of the security operations will be in the hands of the Afghan security forces,” Mr Karzai said at the new National Defence University built to train Afghanistan’s future military officers.

The president said that in the coming months, coalition forces will gradually withdraw from Afghanistan’s provinces as the country’s security forces replace them.

Britain has already handed over the security lead for all its districts in the southern Helmand province.

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the coalition will help militarily if and when needed but will no longer plan, execute or lead operations.

Alliance training since 2009 dramatically increased the size of the Afghan National Security Forces, bringing them up from 40,000 men and women six years ago to about 352,000 today, though around one in five leave.

Hundreds of Allied troops will remain in Afghanistan after 2014 to train and mentor Afghan forces.

Afghans will now have the lead for security in all 403 districts of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. Until now, they were responsible for 312 districts nationwide, where 80 percent of Afghanistan’s population of nearly 30 million lives.

The handover was marred by a botched bomb attack against an Afghan politician in another part of Kabul. The bombing killed three civilians.

Police said the target was the convoy of former warlord Mohammed Mohaqiq, a prominent ethnic Hazara lawmaker who is a former Cabinet member. He survived.

The British military death toll in the conflict stands at 444.

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