KABUL - The Ministry of Defense (MoD) on Monday called 2013 a deadly year and said militants, aided by their foreign allies, were out to disrupt the security situation and control certain areas of the country.

Addressing a joint press conference with his ISAF and NATO counterparts, MoD spokesman Gen. Zahir Azimi said the insurgents had done all they could to unleash a reign of terror on Afghan people and security forces.

The militants had conducted group attacks, suicide assaults and bombings in different parts of Afghanistan, inflicting casualties on security personnel and ordinary people, Gen. Azimi added.

Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers, with the support of other security organs, were capable of warding off the militant threat and neutralizing their plots, the spokesman insisted.

Seminaries in Pakistan had been closed, Taliban infiltrated into Afghanistan and efforts stepped up by foreign groups to disrupt security transition and next year’s presidential elections, he alleged.

However, the MoD spokesman explained the security personnel had successfully scuttled the attacks and kept the situation under control.

The Taliban were seeking to give the impression that the Afghan security personnel would be unable to control the situation after withdrawal of foreign troops in 2014 and were doing their best to disrupt preparations for the elections, he said.

International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) spokesman Heinz Feldmann said: “Militants are trying to disrupt security, but Afghan security forces are capable of beating them.

“We are confident the forces can keep security across their country,” he said, reiterating ISAF’s commitment to transitioning security responsibilities to Afghan partners by the end of 2014. (Pajhwok)