Afghan security forces have thwarted a potential terrorist attack targeting a Governor's office in southern Afghanistan on Thursday.
A possible loss of lives was averted by the Afghan national forces as they prevented a suicide-bomber from entering the District Governor's compound in Nawa district, Helmand province, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Regional Command Southwest said in an operational update on Friday.
"The security forces identified the man as a suicide-bomber and caused him to prematurely detonate his explosives before entering the compound's entry control point." The attacker died in the explosion, which caused no other casualties, the statement added.
Massive casualties of civilians as well as security personnel would have occurred had the terrorist been successful in entering the government compound frequented by the public at busy office hours.
It was the latest example showing insurgency is under pressure as never before in Afghanistan, where the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) are growing in strength and confidence. They are taking an increasing lead for security and by the middle of 2013 will be providing the lead for security across the country, allowing ISAF forces to shift from leading combat operations to a more supporting role.
At the recently concluded Chicago Summit, leaders from NATO's 28 nations and the 22 partners in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) coalition gave Afghanistan a long-term commitment to continue supporting the ANSF after the ISAF mission is completed in 2014.
There was broad agreement that the Afghan security forces are well on track to take full security responsibility across the country by the end of 2014.
Agreeing a NATO Strategic Plan for Afghanistan, the Heads of State decided on a new NATO-led mission which will focus on training, advising and assisting Afghan forces after they have assumed full security responsibility across the country by the deadline. The decision was taken on the request of the Afghan government.
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