NATO formally handed all Combat Missions over to ANSF

Finally NATO officially ended their combat mission after 13 years of war in Afghanistan and started a new mission under the name of the “Resolute Support” on Sunday at International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Headquarter in Kabul.

Gen. John F. Campbell, commander of the ISAF and US Forces in Afghanistan stated that Afghanistan will not return back to the past and asked the Taliban to start peace negotiations with President Ghani.

“Our commitment to Afghanistan endures. We are not walking away, Yet in spite of all of this, the insurgents continue to kill their fellow Muslims in their misguided cause, It’s time for the enemy to heed President Ghani’s call, lay down their arms, come to the peace table, and help rebuild the Afghan nation,” Gen. John F. Campbell said.

In addition Afghanistan National Security Advisor, Mohammad Hanif Atmar asked the international community to continue supporting Afghanistan.

“We need your partnership and support now more than ever,” Atmar added,” Specifically, we need your help to build the systems necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability and critical capabilities of our forces.”

On the other hand General Hans-Lothar, Military Representative of Germany to NATO believes that Afghan Security Forces have the capability to secure their country saying that opinion polls show that 88 percent of Afghans have confidence in the national army and 72 percent in the national police.

ISAF is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan that was established by the United Nations Security Council in December 2001 after 11/9. Its main purpose is to train the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), but is also engaged in the 2001-2014 war with insurgent groups to ensure Afghanistan can never again become a safe haven for terrorists.

The 48 nations under NATO-led have sent troops to Afghanistan, and nearly 2,500 ISAF soldiers were killed during its thirteen years mission in Afghanistan.