Civilians paying price of poor security in Afghanistan

Nahla Abdelmonem

Afghanistan expects to face tough security conditions, especially after the planned withdrawal of US and NATO troops and with the lack of enough training for local security forces which control only a fraction of Afghan territories.

These expected tough security conditions are coupled with fierce rivalry between terrorist organizations active in the country over control.

The ongoing surge in terrorist attacks gives insight into the poor performance of local security forces.

On May 30, ten people were killed and dozens of others injured in an attack by a mortar shell on a house where a wedding party was held in the northern part of Afghanistan. The same region is the site of intense fighting between Afghan security forces and the Taliban.

The Afghan government blamed the Taliban for the attack, but the movement counters by denying responsibility and accusing the government of launching the attack.

Afghan civilians appear to be caught in the middle and emerge as victims.

Deep effects

Deteriorating security conditions in Afghanistan have their strong toll on people living in the country, whether they are Afghan nationals or foreigners.

On May 28, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the closure of his country’s embassy in Afghan capital Kabul on fears from expected security deterioration following the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in September this year.

He said this withdrawal would create uncertain security conditions in the Afghan capital.

Tens of translators who worked for the US and NATO in the past years staged a series of protests in the past days to demand their evacuation to the US under fears from reprisals from the Taliban.