Karzai announces Afghan security handover

AFGHANISTAN: President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday announced the transfer of nationwide security from NATO to Afghan control, a major milestone as the US-led war effort winds down after 12 years.

Shortly before Karzai's speech at a handover ceremony, the location of which had been kept a secret, a prominent lawmaker escaped a bomb attack in Kabul that killed three civilians, underlining the country's continuing instability.

"From tomorrow, our security and defence forces will now be in the lead," Karzai said.

"From here, all security responsibility and all security leadership will be taken by our brave forces." NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Afghan forces were taking the lead on security from Tuesday.

"They are doing so with remarkable resolve, and they deserve the full support of the Afghan people," he said at the ceremony.

The handover of the last 95 districts from NATO to Afghan control includes areas in the south and east where the Taliban have concentrated their bloody insurgency against the US-backed government since 2001.

After the handover, 100,000 NATO forces will play a supporting and training role as Afghan soldiers and police take the lead in the fight against the militants who were ousted from power after the 9/11 attacks.

Doubts remain, however, over the ability of the 350,000-strong Afghan forces to thwart the Taliban, and the NATO military coalition will retain an important role in logistics and air support as well as in combat when required.

AFP