NATO and Afghan army forces will continue to fight the insurgents during the winter 0901132.

"During these winter months which the insurgents have typically used to regroup, waiting for the what they have termed 'fighting season' I want to make it clear that ISAF and the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) have no operational pause," spokesman Brigadier General Gunter Katz told reporters at a press briefing here.

"In these months we continue our relentless pressure on the insurgency," he added.

The Afghan and foreign military officials use the term " insurgents" referring to the Taliban insurgent group. The Taliban, who ruled the country before they were ousted by a U.S.-led invasion in late 2001, renewed armed insurgency, staging ambush and suicide attacks, killing combatants as well as civilians.

Currently there are more than 100,000 NATO-led forces, with 68, 000 of them Americans, stationed in the country to stop the Taliban from returning to the power.

Gen. Katz also said that the Afghan and coalition forces have had great achievements throughout 2012, by saying "In 2012 the ANSF together with ISAF increased security in Afghanistan significantly. The insurgency was fought successfully; it was pushed even in areas that used to be safe havens for them."

Katz also noted that the transition of security responsibilities from ISAF forces to Afghan army and police was on track.

The Afghan forces and NATO troops have completed transition in the first three of five tranches of provinces and districts across the country.

"In 2013, 100 percent of this country will be in the transition process. ISAF will continue to support the ANSF who stand poised to protect this country from those who do not seek a peaceful Afghanistan," he said.

The comments came while Afghan President Hamid Karzai, presently paying a three-day official visit to the United States, is to meet and discuss with his American counterpart Barack Obama about the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) later this week.

The talks between the U.S. and Afghanistan on Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) formally began in Kabul on Nov. 15, 2012. The controversial agreement of BSA, if signed, would guarantee the presence of U.S. military at least for several years in Afghanistan, a contentious issue that has been opposed by some circles at home and neighboring states.