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According to the news media, NATO has ended its 13-year-long combat mission in Afghanistan. NATO forces have handed over major security installations and detention facilities to Afghan forces. In his statement, US President Barack Obama described the NATO mission as a success and according to him the world has become a more secure place.
But despite the claim of success in Afghanistan, ground realities are very different. According to new reports, militant attacks have increased 60 percent alone this year. According to the UN, civilian casualties are at a record high this year and more than 4,000 security personnel also lost their lives in different parts of the country this year. After increasing security threats, political uncertainty is also very high.
The new Ashraf Ghani government is still not able to form a cabinet because of serious differences with political rival Abdullah Abdullah. Despite billions of dollars in expenditures and the loss of precious civilian and military lives, the list of achievements is very shameful in Afghanistan.
The country is still considered the one of the poorest countries in the world. Afghanistan is producing 90 percent of opiates in the world. After a decade of continuous war, US$1.6 trillion in war expenditures and the loss of 8,000 US and NATO soldiers, Afghanistan is facing serious security and economic challenges. After NATO’s exit it seems impossible that the new Ashraf Ghani government can control the worsened peace situation around the country.
High-level security zones and government installations have become easy targets for militants. Militants also attacked inside the high security Kabul green zone only a few meters away from the presidential palace and killed several people. Unfortunately, during 10 years of war in Afghanistan, the US and its allies are still not able to win the hearts and minds of ordinary Afghan people.
NATO bombardments, night-time raids and civilian casualties still continue in different parts of country. Corrupt officials of the Afghan government, who are working under the US umbrella, are not able to bring any change in normal people’s lives. Civilian casualties rose by 60 percent this year and Afghanistan has become a worse country, especially for women and children.
Khawaja Umer Farooq
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