President Hamid Karzai, in the year's last meeting of the National Security Council, handed over management of the security transition to the National Security Advisory.
The National Security Council decided on Sunday that the National Security Advisory would be responsible to manage the ongoing security transition in addition to its , other duties. The security transition, previously orchestrated entirely foreign forces, is now to be overseen by the the Afghan Forces under the National Security Advisory.
The NATO combat mission is set to end in December 2014 and this year saw the Afghan Security Forces assume responsibility for most operations throughout the country. Despite the record number of casualties, 2013 proved a successful and confidence-boosting year for the Afghan forces.
However, General Zaher Azimi, the spokesman of the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said that the Afghan Forces still require more training and equipment to continue much needed improvement. Azimi added that security in regions where Afghan Forces lead security operations has improved 15 to 20 percent.
"...The Army needs more education and training every day and also needs modern and better equipment based on the most updated technology," he said. "The Afghan Army should be seen in two lights, they are capable of providing security for the country, and second, to provide long-term security it needs improved and modern equipment.".
Similarly, the head of the Eternal Security Committee of the Lower House of Parliament, Mirdad Nejrabi, stressed that the Afghan military required more modern equipment.
"The places where the Afghan Army, Police and NDS forces are mostly hurt should be recognized in the coming years and then practical steps should be taken against them," Nejrabi added.
Based on past remarks from military officials and experts, the Afghan forces are most deficient in equipment supply when it comes to heavy weaponry and the Air Force.
What kind of future military aid Afghanistan received from the U.S. and it's NATO allies post-2014 will come down to whether or not the Kabul-Washington Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) is signed.
As of now, Preside Karzai has remained firm in his demands that the U.S. jumpstart Taliban peace talks and end raids on Afghan homes before he finalizes the security pact.