KABUL - In a new report, the Institute for Economics and Peace has placed Afghanistan as the 4th most dangerous country in the world.
In its annual report, the Institute for Economics and Peace assessed peace and stability in 163 countries, placing Syria as the world's most insecure nation while Iraq came in second, Sudan third and Afghanistan fourth.
Iceland and Australia have been placed on the top of the most peaceful countries in the world.
The situation in Afghanistan improved this year compared to last year. In 2015 Afghanistan had been placed third after Syria and Iraq.
In response to the report, the Afghan presidential palace has said that positive change on the political front and the growing capabilities of the Afghan security forces have been the main reasons for Afghanistan being third.
"Placing Afghanistan in the upper part of the list indicates two import elements. First there is a political will to improve the situation and secondly the Afghan security forces have achieved better potential in their campaign against the militants and securing the country," deputy presidential spokesman Sayed Zafar Hashemi said.
The report places Iceland, Denmark and Australia as the most peaceful countries while Afghanistan's neighboring countries such as Turkmenistan is placed 106, Uzbekistan 109, China 120, Tajikistan 122, Iran 133, Pakistan placed 153 and Afghanistan 160 and Syria, South Sudan and Iraq come after Afghanistan.
As the Taliban insurgency still dominates headlines, a number of civil society activists have said that despite violence surging in the country, the level of support for militants among the Afghans has increased.
"The difference between Afghanistan and Syria is that the people in Afghanistan are supporting their armed forces. But in Iraq and Syria the level of cooperation with the security forces is lower. The government and international community must seriously fight terrorists. Because the hatred of people against the Taliban has increased," MP Ramazan Jumazada said.
The Afghan public has also reacted to the report.
"The report has been prepared by foreigners and Afghanistan had no role in making the report. However we welcome the improvements in Afghanistan indicated in the report," Kabul resident Afrasyab said.
"There are a lot of security threats in Afghanistan, people hardly manage to reach their work on a daily basis, everywhere there is suicide attacks and war, this has to stop," another resident Saboor said.
One of the biggest signs of the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan is the surge in civilian casualties.
UN statistics show that civilian casualties in the country had increased by two percent in the first three months of 2016 compared to the same period last year.(Tolonews)