Afghanistan President Mr. Hamid Karzai on Tuesday announced the first plan for transition of security to local forces. According plan Afghan security forces will soon take charge of security in seven areas around the nation. The announcement marks the first step towards his goal of having Afghan police and soldiers protecting the entire nation by the end of 2014. In a speech at the military airport in Kabul, Mr. Karzai said the provincial capitals of Lashkar Gah in southern Afghanistan, Herat in the west, Mazer-e-Sharif in the north, Mehterlam in the east and Kabul province, except for the restive Surobi district are slated for transition from NATO-led forces to Afghan soldiers in July. He said all of Bamiyan and Panshir provinces, which have seen little to no fighting, are also on the transition list. Analysts believe the announcement of transition is symbolic in nature as fighting between militant groups and international forces still rages in many parts of the country while Afghan forces are short on experience and equipments.