Gloomy forecast for Afghanistan's future

Negative developments in Afghanistan during the past week have painted a gloomy picture of the central Asian country's security outlook, once again demonstrating that the more the United States and its allies try to pull themselves out of the quagmire in Afghanistan, the deeper they find themselves mired in the war against the Taliban.

On April 15, the Afghan Taliban launched a series of attacks in Kabul, the biggest in a decade. Government and military targets in three neighboring provinces also came under attack. According to Afghan Interior Minister Bismillah Mohammadi, a total of 47 people were killed and some 65 wounded in Kabul.

The Taliban's spring offensive has revived concerns that after 10 years the US-led NATO forces have yet to deal a fatal blow to the terrorist group. The attacks are ready proof that theTaliban still possesses the capability to strike unexpectedly and bring heavy losses to the Afghan people.