Despite the death of another Australian in Afghanistan war, Prime Minister Julia Gillard restated the country’s commitment to stay in the distance.

According to reports, Sergeant Brett Wood, 32, was 24th Australian to die in action in Afghanistan since 2001along with 174 others who were wounded.

As she offers her condolences to Sgt Wood's family, Gilliard said, "Every loss in Afghanistan hurts us as a nation."

With the news on fatalities, some may wonder why Australia remained in Afghanistan and ask for any improvements on the issue.

"I think the best thing I can say to people is to reiterate the words of Ben Robert Smith, our most recent VC (Victoria Cross) winner. He said to me and he said to the nation, `We are making a difference in Afghanistan. And we are making a difference in Afghanistan. Progress is being made," said the prime minister.

Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai expressed his desire for local control of security in place by 2014. Meanwhile, Gillard said the process for Australia's withdrawal of forces remained unchanged.

"We will be there seeing the mission through. Transition won't be a day, or a moment in time - it will be a process as areas of Afghanistan are sufficiently stabilized and local security forces are trained to take over. There is no point pulling out only to go back in," Gillard furthered.

Gillard is concerned about Afghanistan becoming again a safe haven for terrorists more than anything else that is why she is reaffirming Australia’s commitment to it.

"I'm confident in terms of our losses and the losses of the insurgents that the insurgents have lost far more," Gillard answered as she was asked how Australia's losses compared with those of the insurgency.

Gillard said there were many indications of development, from local markets and commercial activity coming back to villages to the restoration of local police forces.