In a period of just five days, the insurgents successfully launched three major attacks in center, south and north of Afghanistan consecutively. The latest bomb exploded yesterday mid-morning in Pul-e Khumri the capital of northern Baghlan province killing at least 13 people including Muhammad Rasool Mohsini, Head of Provincial Council and his bodyguards. The suicide bomber detonated his explosive-packed jacket as soon as Mohsini entered his office.

The attack comes at times when on Thursday May 17, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive-laden car close to US military vehicles in Shah Shaheed area of Kabul resulting in the death at least 16 people, including 6 American military advisers. The next day, two car bombs killed nine and injured several others in southern province of Kandahar.

The main target of Baghlan attack was Muhammadn Rasool Mohsini who has been an anti-Taliban leader and has fought them under the banner of Northern Alliance. Over the past few years, a number of figures affiliated to Northern Alliance have been killed. Killing of Mohsini indicates that Targeted killing continues unabated in Afghanistan escalating waves of fear and terror across the country.

Assassinations of high profile figures are addition to the routine of killing of civilians and NATO and Afghan troops. Such killings have deep negative impacts on the economy and political environment of Afghanistan. The trend will definitely compel businessmen, politicians and intellectuals to escape the country which is greatly damaging for a country like Afghanistan.

With prevailing security condition where no one – common men to high profile figures – feels safe, talking of improvement in security situation in Afghanistan seems only a tale of futility. Taliban’s activities are intensifying with each passing day while the Afghan government is maintaining a soft stance towards them in the hope to convince them for peace negotiations. Nonetheless, insurgents focus on weakening the Afghan government and pay no attention to the calls of President Karzai.

Escalation of terror attacks and deteriorating security condition are going to have catastrophic outcomes for Afghanistan which is standing at a crucial juncture where the NATO forces are planned to withdraw by the end of 2014 after handing over all the security responsibilities to Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). The insurgents will continue targeted killings, suicide bombings, IED attacks and their other activities of terror to gain utmost benefit from the prevailing scenario.