Afghanistan's army and police force are getting ready to take over security responsibilities from international forces. President Hamid Karzai is due to announce the first districts and provinces to do so in the coming days.

But with the high rates of desertion among the country's security forces, there are doubts over whether the homegrown recruits are up to the job.

Al Jazeera's Sue Turton spent a week with an Afghan brigade and sent this report.