2013 has ended and for Afghanistan it was another bloody year. The Taliban continued their attacks throughout 2013 making it another unfortunate year in the history of the country. Hundreds of Afghans lost their lives or were critically injured in dozens of terror attacks carried out by terrorists. Although the graph of casualties among international troops dramatically declined, the death rate of Afghan National Security Force reached up to 100 a week.

As like every other year, suicide and roadside bombings, targeted killings, direct clashes between Taliban and the ANSF, kidnapping, beheading of the innocents, heart-wrenching incidents of violence against women and children and other sorts of crime made top stories for 2013 in Afghanistan. In weeks to come certain organizations, that keep statistics on civilian casualties in Afghanistan, will come up with another report and expectedly the Taliban have made a new record in killing the people in 2013. 

The most notable achievement for Afghanistan in 2013 was that ANSF assumed full security responsibilities of the country from International Security Assistance Force in June under the final process of security transition. Back in 2001, when the Taliban government was toppled, having 350,000-strong army and police seemed like dream to the people of Afghanistan. The international community has helped this dream come true. ANSF is heading into another challenging year and hopefully they will triumph.

In the previous year, the Afghan government put much effort to make a breakthrough possible in peace process but all in vain. Although the Taliban set up an office in Qatar, they showed no true willingness to negotiate peace with the Afghan government. Their office was closed shortly after its opening. Since the Afghan government sees the key of peace in Afghanistan in the hands of Pakistan, the High Peace Council (HPC) head and its members paid certain visits to Islamabad, the last time to meet Taliban’s former second-in-command Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. Nevertheless, there is no proof the HPC team was able to meet him properly. And with that the little hope the Afghan government had in Mullah Baradar faded away. Although releases of Taliban prisoners from prisons in both Afghanistan and Pakistan continued throughout 2013, the peace process still faces a grave deadlock.

Another important event in 2013 was convention of 3,000 tribal elders and political leaders of Afghanistan in a loya jirga (grand assembly) called by the government to discuss the crucial Bilateral Security Agreement with the United States. The jirga not only approved the BSA but also emphasized President Karzai to sign it on the required time for sake of future security and stability of Afghanistan. Karzai is yet to sign the agreement and lower the graph of uncertainty about the future of Afghanistan.

2014 is another year full of challenges for Afghanistan. The important presidential election has been scheduled for April 5th while withdrawal of US-led NATO troops will also complete by the end of this. Security transition took place last year, political transition which being deemed more important is going to take place this year. And there will many other challenges on social, political, security and economic sectors of the country. Despite all these, let us hope the New Year becomes a turning point in history of Afghanistan and this country turns into a peaceful and prosperous place for its citizens.