2014 marked by peaceful transfer of power in Afghanistan

Karzai had refused to sign the contentious BSA with United States even after the 2,500 Afghan delegates in a grand assembly in November 2013 had urged Karzai to sign it. His refusal brought Kabul-Washington relations to its lowest level before he left office.

In a bid to engage the Taliban in a peace dialogue and to end the decades-old militancy in the country, President Ghani has described Taliban militants as part of the political opposition. He called on them to stop fighting and join the political mainstream.

During his state visits to Saudi Arabia, China and Pakistan, Ghani also sought their support in bolstering Afghan peace process and bringing about stability and prosperity in his strife-torn country.

However, the Taliban militants, who have termed the US-led NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) withdrawal from Afghanistan as "defeat of occupying forces," have spurned the offer for talks, vowing to continue its jihad or holy war until all foreign forces would be expelled from the country.

The combat mission of the US-led NATO troops in Afghanistan ends by Dec 31, 2014, forcing the Afghan national security forces to take primary responsibility for the security the country from Jan 1, 2015.

Foreign ministers of NATO-member said at their conference in Brussels and donor -nations at London Conference on Afghanistan early this month announced their support to Afghanistan through what they termed as "transformation decade" that spans from January 2015 to 2024.

The ISAF Joint Command (IJC), in a ceremony held here in Kabul on Dec 8, officially ended its 13-year combat mission against Taliban and other militant groups in Afghanistan.

Speaking at the ceremony, the US commander of NATO-led ISAF troops, General John F. Campbell, said that the ceremony "casing of colors" symbolizes the end of combat mission and shifting NATO- led forces role to training and supporting the Afghan security from Jan 1, 2015.

"ISAF is transitioning to the NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) mission which will focus on training, advising and assisting Afghan Security Institutions and ANSF (Afghan National Security Forces) at the ministerial, institutional, and operational levels. The RS mission begins Jan. 1, 2015," an ISAF statement released here on Dec 8 said.

Looking forward with optimism, Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi at a joint press conference with NATO's civilian spokesman Christopher Chambers said on Dec 9 that " Afghan national security forces are capable enough to take security responsibility of Afghanistan from Jan. 1, 2015" and provide security to the whole nation.