Afghanistan National Security Force (ANSF) has the toughest job of keeping terrorists at bay. It is has grown from zero to a 352,000-strong force. Establishment of Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP) is counted as one of the biggest achievements of Afghan government and its international backers. Although they are not well-equipped and still need much training to learn various military tactics and use of modern weaponry, they have been performing well. Nonetheless, in order to defend Afghanistan on its own, ANSF has still a long way to go and needs long term support from international troops.

Defending Afghanistan against Taliban and other terror groups is not without sacrifice. The graph of military and police casualties has been rising since they have started taking over more security responsibilities from ISAF. In June, the process of transition of security responsibilities from ISAF to ANSF completed and with that the dying rates of both Afghan army and police have become manifold.

As the national security forces take on the battle against Taliban militants, nearly 80 Afghan police have died every week during the current fighting season, Ministry of Interior (MoI) officials said Tuesday. That is indeed an alarming figure and indicates tough clashes between Taliban and Afghan police.

"Since the Taliban launched their operation, they have conducted 6,604 operations, 50 suicide attacks and 1,704 direct attacks on police," General Salim Ehsas, deputy interior minister, told a conference in Kabul. "1,273 national police, 779 local police, and 858 civilians have lost their lives." Ministry of Defense (MoD) and military have declined to release Afghan army casualty figures this year, but admit that levels have climbed.

Keeping in view the increase in death toll of Afghan soldiers and police, it is feared that their causalities will go on increasing as the NATO will move nearer to its plan to withdraw most of its forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2014. More fighting will result in more deaths. As Afghanistan will move ahead into next year’s presidential election, the insurgents are expected to intensify their attacks and there will be more clashes between them and the ANSF.

 Now the need of time is to support the ANSF by providing them latest equipment and weaponry and adequate logistics. The Afghan air force also needs to be bolstered. In such away the ANSF can be strengthened against insurgents. It will result in fewer casualties of Afghan army and police.