KABUL- General John Nicholson, the commander of US forces in Afghanistanhas said that this year the Taliban will not focus on taking over majortowns but instead the group will increase their suicide attacks to provetheir strong presence.

He claimed that the Taliban leaders have decided that their fighters shouldno longer fight to takeover over big cities but instead carry out moresuicide attacks to prove their strong presence in the country, TOLO Newshas reported.

Meanwhile a number of military commentators and members of parliament haveraised deep concerns over a possible surge in security threats in thecountry.

According to Nicholson, the Taliban’s change of tactics shows that thepressure mounted on the group by the Afghan government and theinternational coalition has been effective as it has decreased their levelsof motivation.

“To avoid major comeback but to prove their relevance by attacking isolatedcheck points, by conducting high profile attacks, by attemptingassassinations and so, what this represents is a lowering of their militaryambition,” said Nicholson.

The Afghan ministry of defense meanwhile has said that Afghan NationalArmy’s (ANA) Operation Nusrat will continue against the militants.