WASHINGTON - The Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) have come a long way in defending and securing their country, the United States said Tuesday as it praised the security forces in successfully and quickly responding to the terrorist suicide attack in Kabul earlier in the day.

“Looking at the response of the Afghan national security forces, the speed with which they got on scene and the efficiency with which they dealt with the attackers, I think, shows that the training and assistance that we've been giving them has been effective,” the State Department Spokesperson, John Kirby, told reporters at his daily news conference.

Responding to questions on the latest terrorist attack in Kabul, Kirby said during this summertime it is not unusual or atypical to see more Taliban attacks, not just in Kabul but elsewhere in Afghan during the summertime.

“So this is not altogether atypical. I don't have trend analysis here for you to tell you, it's more this month than it was this month last year, but I think we need to keep it in perspective,” he said.

The spokesman said that “these attacks have not been ultimately successful. They've been executed, that's for sure, but the effect has been minimal on the people of Kabul and the government of Afghanistan.”

Afghan national security forces have come an extraordinarily long way in the last several years in terms of their competence and ability, their battlefield prowess, their command and control, their ability to sustain themselves, Kirby said in response to a question.

He said now there were still gaps, which was why “we have an advise and assist mission there. But they've come a long way and they've responded well to this violence, violence which is not atypical for this time of year for the Taliban.”

He said that Afghanistan is a sovereign country, and their security forces are acting on the orders of their government, President (Ashraf) Ghani. They have done well, not just in Kabul, but elsewhere throughout the country.

“There's still some international support there, but eventually, what we all hope to do is get to a point where the defense and security relationship between us and Afghanistan is more normalized, just like we would have with any other country around the world,” he said. (Pajhwok)