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95-810: As of 30 June 2020, the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) or Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) were composed of the Afghan National Army (including the Afghan Border Force, Afghan Air Force, Afghan Territorial Army, Afghan National Civil Order Force), Afghan National Police (including Afghan Local Police), and the National Directorate of Security (including the Afghan Special Force). In August 2021, after

190-756: A 20-year task of creating a respectable regular force by instituting measures that formed the long-term basis of the military system. These included increasing the equalization of military obligation by setting up a system known as the hasht nafari (whereby one man in every eight between the ages of 20 and 40 took his turn at military service); constructing an arsenal in Kabul to reduce dependence on foreign sources for small arms and other ordnance; introducing supervised training courses; organizing troops into divisions, brigades, and regiments, including battalions of artillery; developing pay schedules; and introducing an elementary (and harsh) disciplinary system. Further improvements to

285-768: A National Military Command Center had been established in Kabul , which was being mentored by personnel from the Virginia Army National Guard . Under the US–Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement , the United States designated Afghanistan as a major non-NATO ally and agreed to fund the ANA until at least 2024. This included soldiers' salaries, providing training and weapons, and all other military costs. Soldiers in

380-539: A drawn-out resistance against the Taliban if they are to hold Panjshir. Analyst Bill Roggio also argued that the Panjshir resistance's "prospects are bleak", although their base was well-defendable, and Saleh could rely on a wide network of potential supporters across the entire country. Afghan specialist Gilles Dorronsoro from Sorbonne University said that Taliban forces could enforce a lockdown on Panjshir, since it

475-614: A line from Bagram south to Kandahar ." The guards regiment additionally performed ceremonial duties. There were 570 medium tanks, plus more Soviet T-55 tanks on order. The Afghan Army was also referred to as the Afghan Republican Army, or simply the “Republican Army”, in a Kabul Times newspaper, a few days after the 1973 Afghan coup d'état . On 27 April 1978 the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan , led by Nur Mohammad Taraki , Babrak Karmal and Amin overthrew

570-638: A severe problem. The Afghan Army's casualties were as high as 50–60,000 soldiers and another 50,000 soldiers deserted the Army. The Afghan Army's defection rate was about 10,000 soldiers per year between 1980 and 1989; the average deserters left the Afghan Army after the first five months. Local militias were also important to the Najibullah regime's security efforts. From 1988 several new divisions were formed from former Regional Forces/militias' formations:

665-533: A stake in the new Afghan government. However, Hibatullah Akhundzada , the Taliban's leader, has effectively ruled out an inclusive government. On 6 September 2021, the Taliban claimed victory in controlling the province. The NRF, however, denied the Taliban victory, stating they continued to hold positions across the valley. As of December 2022, the NRF controls no territory but continues to carry out hit and run guerrilla attacks. A mountainous region, Panjshir

760-598: A three-star level multi-national command headquartered in downtown Kabul . On the Afghan side, by 2011 all training and education in the Army was run by Afghan National Army Training Command , a two-star command which reported directly to the Chief of the General Staff. All training centers and military schools were under this command. Individual basic training was conducted primarily by Afghan instructors and staff at

855-551: A variety of military professions. NMAA's first cadet class entered its second academic year in spring 2006. A contingent of US and Turkish instructors jointly mentored the NMAA faculty and staff. The Command and General Staff College, located in southern Kabul, prepared mid-level ANA officers to serve on brigade and corps staffs. France established the CGSC in early 2004, and a cadre of French Army instructors continued to oversee operations at

950-478: The 2004 Constitution , declared himself the caretaker president of Afghanistan and announced the republican resistance against the Taliban . Saleh's claim to the presidency was endorsed by Ahmad Massoud, as well as by former Afghan Minister of Defence Bismillah Mohammadi , and the Afghan embassy in Tajikistan including its ambassador Mohammad Zahir Aghbar . The NRF exercised de facto control over

1045-553: The 53rd Infantry Division – the "Jowzyani militia" of Abdul Rashid Dostum raised from Sheberghan , the 55th , 80th, 93rd, 94th, 95th, and 96th, plus, possibly, a division in Lashkar Gah . As compensation for the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989, the USSR agreed to deliver sophisticated weapons to the government, among which were large quantities of Scud surface-to-surface missiles . The first 500 were transferred during

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1140-758: The Afghan Army , is the land force branch of the Afghan Armed Forces . The roots of an army in Afghanistan can be traced back to the early 18th century when the Hotak dynasty was established in Kandahar followed by Ahmad Shah Durrani 's rise to power. It was reorganized in 1880 during Emir Abdur Rahman Khan 's reign. Afghanistan remained neutral during the First and Second World Wars . From

1235-612: The Bonn Conference on Afghanistan in early December 2001, President Hamid Karzai issued a decree reestablishing a unified army, the Afghan National Army. The decree set a size target of 70,000 (by 2009) and laid out the planned army structure. There had been significant disagreement over the size of the army that was needed. A Ministry of Defense -issued paper said that at least 200,000 active troops were needed. The Afghan Ministry of Defence loudly objected to

1330-530: The Herat uprising broke out. The 17th Division was detailed by the regime to put down the rebellion, but this proved a mistake, as there were few Khalqi faction soldiers in the division and instead it mutinied and joined the uprising. Forces from Kabul had to be dispatched to suppress the rebellion. Gradually the Army's three armoured divisions and now sixteen infantry divisions dropped in size to on average around 2,500 strong, quarter strength, by 1985. One of

1425-540: The Jezail . At the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–80), Ali Ahmad Jalali cites sources saying that the regular army was about 50,000 strong and consisted of 62 infantry and 16 cavalry regiments, with 324 guns mostly organized in horse and mountain artillery batteries. Jalali writes that '..although Amir Shir Ali Khan (1863–78) is widely credited for founding the modern Afghan Army, it

1520-568: The Kabul Military Training Center , situated on the eastern edge of Kabul. The United States Department of Defense assisted in basic and advanced training of enlisted recruits, and also ran the Drill Instructor School which ran basic training courses for training NCOs. Basic training had been expanded to include required literacy courses for illiterate recruits. A French Army advisory team oversaw

1615-482: The Panjshir Valley , which is largely contiguous with Panjshir Province and, as of August 2021, was "the only region out of the Taliban's hands." The alliance constitutes the only organized resistance to the Taliban in the country, and is possibly planning an anti-Taliban guerilla struggle . The resistance has called for an "inclusive government" of Afghanistan; one of their objectives is speculated to be

1710-653: The Persian Safavid Empire at the Battle of Gulnabad in 1722. When Ahmad Shah Durrani formed the Durrani Empire in 1747, in general, tribes were responsible for providing troops to the king. The only national army that existed during Ahmad Shah's time consisted of small groups that functioned as royal bodyguards. The Afghan Army fought a number of battles in the Punjab region of India during

1805-474: The Taliban captured the Afghan capital Kabul and other major cities, US President Joe Biden said that the forces collapsed, sometimes without trying to fight and that they were not willing to fight for themselves, with the exception of very brave and capable Afghan special forces units and soldiers. In an Al Jazeera editorial Abdul Basit wrote that the forces "preferred to save their lives by surrendering to

1900-657: The platoon , toli (company) and kandak (battalion) levels to certify them ready for field operations. In the Regional Corps, Coalition Embedded Training Teams continued to mentor the kandak's leadership, and advised them in the areas of intelligence, communications, fire support, logistics and infantry tactics. During the ISAF era, advisers in the US Embedded Training Teams and NATO Operational Mentor and Liaison Teams acted as liaisons between

1995-684: The 1960s to the early 1990s, the Afghan Army was equipped by the Soviet Union . After the resignation of President Najibullah in 1992, the army effectively dissolved. In 1996 the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban regime) took power, creating their own army, which lasted until the United States invasion of Afghanistan in October–November 2001. By 2016, most of Afghanistan came under government control. However over

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2090-700: The 19th century. One of the famous battles was the 1761 Battle of Panipat in which the Afghan army decisively defeated the Hindu Maratha Empire . The Afghans then fought with the Sikh Empire , until finally, the Sikh Marshal Hari Singh Nalwa died and Sikh conquests stopped. In 1839, the British successfully invaded Afghanistan and installed the exiled Shah Shujah Durrani into power. Their occupation of Afghanistan

2185-776: The 38th Commando Brigade during the Second Battle of Zhawar in Paktika Province in May 1983. After sustaining heavy casualties the commando brigades were turned into battalions. Most soldiers were recruited for a three-year term, later extended to four-year terms in 1984. The Afghan Army 1978 After the PDPA seizure of power, desertions swept the force, affecting the loyalty and moral values of soldiers. There were purges on patriotic junior and senior officers, and upper class Afghan aristocrats in society. On 15 March 1979,

2280-638: The AFPS story as the 203 Corps , was to have an initial force of 200 soldiers. Kandahar's command was the first activated, followed by Gardez and Mazar-e-Sharif. The Herat command was seemingly activated on 28 September. The next year, the ANA's numbers grew to around 20,000 soldiers, most of which were trained by the United States Army. In the meantime, the United States Army Corps of Engineers started building new military camps for

2375-541: The Afghan Army and coalition forces. The teams coordinated planning and ensured that ANA units received U.S./Coalition support. Formal education and professional development was conducted at two main ANATC schools, both in Kabul. The National Military Academy of Afghanistan , located near the Kabul International Airport , was a four-year military university which produced degree second lieutenants in

2470-499: The Afghan Army's ability to use their ballistic missiles. On 24 April 1992, the mujahideen forces of Ahmad Shah Massoud ( Jamiat-e Islami ) captured the main Scud stockpile at Afshar, Kabul , belonging to the 99th Missile Brigade . Shia Hazara groups, such as Harakat-e Islami , additionally gained Scud missile launchers. As the government collapsed, the few remaining Scuds and their transporter erector launchers were divided among

2565-448: The Afghan National Army manpower were made up of ghost soldiers . Following the withdrawal of U.S. and allied troops from Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, in the face of a rapid Taliban offensive , the Afghan National Army largely disintegrated. Following the escape of President Ashraf Ghani and the fall of Kabul, remaining ANA soldiers either deserted their posts or surrendered to the Taliban. Some ANA remnants reportedly joined

2660-441: The Army initially received $ 30 a month during training and $ 50 a month upon graduation, though the basic pay for trained soldiers later rose to $ 165. This starting salary increased to $ 230 a month in an area with moderate security issues and to $ 240 in those provinces where there was heavy fighting. About 95% of the men and women who served in the military were paid by electronic funds transfer . Special biometrics were used during

2755-681: The Army were made by King Amanullah Khan in the early 20th century just before the Third Anglo-Afghan War . King Amanullah fought against the British in 1919, resulting in Afghanistan becoming fully independent after the Treaty of Rawalpindi was signed. It appears from reports of Naib Sular Abdur Rahim's career that a Cavalry Division was in existence in the 1920s, with him being posted to the division in Herat Province in 1913 and Mazar-i-Sharif after 1927. A military academy

2850-869: The Central Army Corps around Kabul. In addition, there were divisions with strong links to the centre in Kabul. These included the 1st in Kabul, 27th in Qalat, 31st in Kabul, 34th in Bamiyan (4th Corps), 36th in Logar, 41st in Ghor, 42nd in Wardak, 71st in Farah, and 100th in Laghman. The International Crisis Group wrote: New divisions and even army corps were created to recognise factional realities or undermine

2945-623: The NRF announced that a parallel government will be created in response to the Taliban's formation of its government in Kabul. It was announced on 29 September that Amrullah Saleh will lead the government in exile, according to a statement published by the Afghan Embassy in Geneva, Switzerland, which also backs the NRF. On 1 November, it was reported that the NRF has opened a liaison office in Washington DC after being registered with

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3040-413: The NRF depends on arms they have stockpiled or acquired from corrupt Taliban personnel. Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov labeled the resistance as "doomed" and that the resistance would fail. Zhirnov further stated that Saleh's proclamation of caretaker president is unconstitutional and added that they have "no military prospects". Zhirnov also stated his plans to mediate talks between

3135-597: The NRF has 5,000 fighters. Following the Fall of Kabul , anti-Taliban forces, including former Vice President Saleh, moved into the Panjshir Valley, the only area of Afghanistan not controlled by the Taliban, in order to create a new resistance front. As of 17 August, the Panjshir Valley was—according to one observer—"under siege on all sides" but had not come under direct attack. Ahmad Massoud wrote in an op-ed to The Washington Post on 18 August 2021, calling for

3230-596: The Officer Candidate School (OCS). OCS candidates were young men with little or no military experience. The British Army also conducted initial and advanced Non-Commissioned Officer training as well in a separate NCO Training Brigade. The Canadian Forces supervised the Combined Training Exercise portion of initial military training, where trainee soldiers, NCOs, and officers were brought together in field training exercises at

3325-541: The PDPA garrison at Kunduz surrendered to local mujahideen commanders. The 54th Division base at Kunduz was handed over to the overall military leader of Ittehad in the area, Amir Chughay. Dostum and commanders loyal to him formed Junbesh I-Melli, the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan . The NIM grouped the former regime's 18th, 20th, 53rd, 54th, and 80th Divisions, plus several brigades. By mid-1994 there were two parallel 6th Corps operating in

3420-439: The PDPA government. As a result, the 26th Airborne Battalion was reformed and turned into the 37th Commando Battalion. In the same year, the 81st Artillery Regiment were given airborne training and converted into the 38th Commando Battalion. The Commando Brigades were, in contrast, considered reliable and were used as mobile strike forces until they sustained excessive casualties. Insurgents ambushed and inflicted heavy casualties on

3515-532: The Panjshir valley, with tanks and personnel carriers in support of the resistance. They regrouped in Andarab district , Baghlan after they escaped Kunduz , Badakhshan , Takhar , and Baghlan before moving to the safety of Panjshir. According to unconfirmed reports, Saleh's command managed to recapture Charikar , the provincial capital of Parwan Province , which had been held by the Taliban since 15 August, and that fighting had begun in Panjshir. At around

3610-532: The Panjshir-based fighters. On 20 August 2021, a group of anti-Taliban forces was organised in Baghlan Province , headed by Abdul Hamid Dadgar. The group took over the Andarab , Pul-e-Hesar and De Salah districts of Baghlan Province , killing or injuring 60 Taliban fighters as they did so. In the mid-afternoon, unconfirmed reports from Panjshir stated that Pul-e-Hesar was taken back from

3705-533: The Pashto language experienced difficulty because instruction was usually given through interpreters who spoke Dari. The Afghan New Beginnings Programme (ANBP) was launched on 6 April 2003 and begin disarmament of former Army personnel in October 2003. In March 2004, fighting between two local militias took place in the western Afghan city of Herat . It was reported that Mirwais Sadiq (son of warlord Ismail Khan)

3800-491: The Resistance and the Taliban. According to The Economist , the resistance's cause looked " forlorn ". The Independent mentions concerns that the fighters in Panjshir are likely to be outmatched as Taliban fighters have captured or acquired western-made military weapons and equipment with artillery and aircraft during the offensive. An anonymous Afghan journalist said that the group needs to start making plans for

3895-527: The Soviet advisors arrived. By the late 1950s, Azimi describes three corps, each with a number of divisions, along the eastern border with Pakistan and several independent divisions. In a 1960s manual titled “Royalist Regulations” for the Royal Afghan Army, there were illustrations of numerous branch insignias, denoting the specialities and the role of the soldier wearing them. These include: In

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3990-634: The Supreme Court and other courts across the country to curtail the rights of journalists, civic society activists, and even political candidates. He also controls militias, including forces recognized as the 10th Division of the Afghan army, which intimidate and abuse Afghans even inside Kabul. We ask that you express public opposition to Sayyaf's activities, explicitly state your opposition to such misuse of unofficial authority, and move expeditiously to disarm and demobilize armed forces associated with Ittihad-i Islami and other unofficial forces." During

4085-458: The Taliban and recapture territory. Foreign Policy stated that there are generations of Afghans who had not previously experienced life under Taliban rule and were likely to resist. They stated that if the Taliban continued to target persons with links to the former government, then support for resistance would grow, but that support would drop if a future government included Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah . Kaweh Kerami warned that if

4180-478: The Taliban government through the United States invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, private armies loyal to warlords gained more and more influence. In mid-2001, Ali Ahmed Jalali wrote: The army (as a state institution, organized, armed, and commanded by the state) does not exist in Afghanistan today. Neither the Taliban-led "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" nor the "Islamic State of Afghanistan" headed by

4275-559: The Taliban under its amnesty offers". The Afghan National Security Forces consisted of NATO special operations forces trained, advised and assisted the ANASOC, SMW and GCPSU who were collectively known as the Afghan Special Security Forces (ASSF). The ASSF was described as the "ANDSF’s primary offensive forces". The National Directorate of Security (NDS) was the state intelligence and security service and

4370-608: The Taliban, and that fighting was still raging in De Salah and Banu, with a reporter with Iran International reporting soon after that first Andarab and then De Salah fell to the resistance. According to Sediqullah Shuja, a former member of the Afghan National Security Forces , the reasons for the removal of the Taliban from the Andarab valley towns was the Taliban's searching of private houses, which

4465-429: The Taliban. We are not afraid of Taliban fighters." On 16 September 2022, Ahmad Massoud urged fellow Afghans living overseas to work together to find a way to end Taliban rule and bring them back to negotiations. On 30 November – 1 December 2022, Karen Decker, charge d'affaires of the U.S. mission to Afghanistan, attended a meeting with anti-Taliban figures in Tajikistan. In 2023, former Afghan military officials opened

4560-467: The US Justice Department in order to carry out lobbying missions to various politicians working in the city. On 23 November, Sibghatullah Ahmadi was appointed as the new spokesman of the NRF. The position was previously held by Mohammad Fahim Dashty , who was killed during the Taliban offensive into Panjshir on 5 September. Ahmadi served in this capacity until his resignation in April 2023. On 1 September 2024, Ahmad Massoud claimed in an interview that

4655-522: The US-led Operation Warrior Sweep , marking the first major combat operation for Afghan troops. Initial recruiting problems lay in the lack of cooperation from regional warlords and inconsistent international support. The problem of desertion dogged the force from the outset: in the summer of 2003, the desertion rate was estimated to be 10% and in mid-March 2004, an estimate suggested that 3,000 soldiers had deserted. Some recruits were under 18 years of age and many could not read or write. Recruits who only spoke

4750-441: The absence of a top political layer capable of controlling individual and group violence. ... Although both sides identify their units with military formations of the old regime, there is hardly any organizational or professional continuity from the past. But these units really exist in name only ... [i]n fact only their military bases still exist, accommodating and supporting an assortment of militia groups. Formations in existence by

4845-427: The anti-Taliban National Resistance Front of Afghanistan in the Panjshir Valley (see Republican insurgency in Afghanistan ). Historically, Afghans have served in the army of the Ghaznavids (963–c.1187), Ghurids (1148–1215), Delhi Sultanate (1206–1527), and the Mughals (1526–1858). The Afghan Army traces its origin to the early 18th century when the Hotak dynasty rose to power in Kandahar and defeated

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4940-426: The army corps. A year later, in 1981, the 203rd Separate Spetsnaz Battalion was formed (alongside the 212th, 230th and 211th) under the 1st Central Army Corps in Kabul and subordinated to KhAD-e Nezami (military intelligence). The 203rd Battalion reportedly worked alongside the Spetsnaz GRU and the Soviet Border Troops , as well as with the Soviet Airborne Forces . The army lost much of its strength during

5035-438: The army included three armored divisions; infantry divisions averaging 4,500 to 8,000 men each; “two mountain infantry brigades, one artillery brigade, a guards regiment (for palace protection), three artillery regiments, two commando regiments, and a parachute battalion, which was largely grounded. All the formations were under the control of three corps level headquarters. All but three infantry divisions were facing Pakistan along

5130-399: The country and also had armored riverboats in their inventory, as seen in a parade in Kabul . In February–March 1957, the first group of Soviet military specialists (about 10, including interpreters) was sent to Kabul to train Afghan officers and non-commissioned officers. At the time, there seems to have been significant Turkish influence in the Afghan Armed Forces, which waned quickly after

5225-444: The early 1970s, Soviet military assistance was increased. The number of Soviet military specialists increased from 1,500 in 1973 to 5,000 by April 1978. The senior Soviet specialist at this time (from 29 November 1972 until 11 December 1975) was a Major General I.S. Bondarets (И.С. Бондарец), and from 1975 to 1978, the senior Soviet military adviser was Major General L.N. Gorelov. Before the Saur Revolution in 1978, according to Jacobs,

5320-401: The early months of 1989, and soon proved to be extremely useful, a critical asset. During the mujahideen attack against Jalalabad , between March and June 1989, three firing batteries manned by Afghan crews advised by Soviets fired approximately 438 missiles. Soon Scuds were in use in all the heavily contested areas of Afghanistan. After January 1992, the Soviet advisors were withdrawn, reducing

5415-530: The early stages of PDPA rule. One of the main reasons for the small size was that the Soviet military were afraid the Afghan army would defect en masse to the enemy if total personnel increased. There were several sympathisers of the mujahideen within the military. Even so, there were several elite units under the command of the Afghan army, for instance, the 26th Airborne Battalion, 444th, 37th and 38th Commando Brigades . The 26th Airborne Battalion proved politically unreliable, and in 1979, they revolted against

5510-458: The end of 2002 included the 1st Army Corps ( Nangarhar ), 2nd Army Corps ( Kandahar , dominated by Gul Agha Sherzai ), 3rd Army Corps ( Paktia , where the US allegedly attempted to impose Atiqullah Ludin as commander), 4th Army Corps ( Herat , dominated by Ismail Khan ), 6th Army Corps at Kunduz, 7th Army Corps (under Atta Muhammad Nur at Balkh ), 8th Army Corps (at Jowzjan , dominated by Dostum's National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan ) and

5605-412: The fast-growing army. In 2003, the United States issued guidelines to ensure the army's ethnic balance. By late 2012, the ANA was composed of 43% Pashtuns , 32% Tajiks , 12% Hazaras , 8% Uzbeks , and the rest were smaller ethnic groups of Afghanistan . However, the army did not track the actual ethnic composition of the officer corps. There were no quotas for the enlisted soldiers. By March 2011,

5700-474: The first female general in the Afghan National Army in August 2002. The National Military Academy of Afghanistan , a West Point analogue and part of the Marshal Fahim National Defense University based in Qargha Garrison, was also established to produce officers. The NMAA administered a four-year military and civil training programme with the aim of preparing the prospective officer for the long-term. The NMAA taught four major foreign languages, vital to developing

5795-412: The first series of defections occurred in the 9th Division , which, Urban wrote, defected by brigades in response to the Soviet intervention. It lost its 5th Brigade at Asmar in August 1979 and its 30th Mountain Brigade in 1980. After Soviet advisors arrived in 1977, they inspired a number of adaptations and reorganisations. In April 1982, the 7th Division was moved from the capital. The division, which

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5890-407: The next few years the government slowly lost territory to the Taliban and eventually collapsed, with Kabul falling to the Taliban in 2021. The majority of training of the ANA was undertaken in the Kabul Military Training Centre . In 2019, the ANA had approximately 180,000 soldiers out of an authorized strength of 195,000. Despite its significant manpower on paper, in reality a significant portion of

5985-406: The north. Dostum's 6th Corps was based at Pul-i-Khumri and had three divisions. The Defence Ministry of the Kabul government's 6th Corps was based at Kunduz and also had three divisions, two sharing numbers with formations in Dostum's corps. By 1995 Masoud controlled three corps commands: the Central Corps at Kabul, the best organised with a strength of 15–20,000, the 5th Corps at Herat covering

6080-454: The office of Afghanistan United Front in the United States and Sami Sadat , a former Afghan general, asked for U.S. help during a hearing with the U.S. House of Representatives. As of August 2024, the NRF is reported to have fighters present in Panjshir, Baghlan, Parwan, Kapisa, Badakhshan, Takhar, Kunar, Kunduz, Kabul, Laghman, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Samangan, Balkh, Badghis, Ghor, Herat, Farah, Nimroz, and Sar-i-Pul. According to Luke Coffey,

6175-413: The ousted President Rabbani has the political legitimacy or administrative efficiency of a state. The militia formations they command are composed of odd assortments of armed groups with varying level of loyalties, political commitment, professional skills, and organizational integrity. Many of them feel free to switch sides, shift loyalties, and join or leave the group spontaneously. The country suffers from

6270-417: The power base of individual commanders, often without regard to the troop levels normally associated with such units. For example, the ministry in July 2002 recognised a 25th Division in Khost province, formed by the Karzai-appointed governor, Hakim Taniwal , to unseat a local warlord, Padshah Khan Zadran, who was then occupying the governor's residence. At its inception, however, the division had only 700 men –

6365-407: The previous government or with NATO-led forces. David Loyn suggested that the resistance had a better chance of gaining more support from Afghans of other ethnic groups resisting the Taliban if Saleh were seen as the head of a broad coalition rather than only representing Tajiks. Loyn said that the rest of the world might have a reason not to recognize the Taliban if the fighters continued to face

6460-436: The regime of Mohammad Daoud , who was killed the next day, along with most of his family. On 1 May, Taraki became President , Prime Minister and General Secretary of the PDPA. The country was then renamed the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA), and the PDPA government lasted until April 1992. In 1980, under President Babrak Karmal , the Ministry of Defense drafted plans to form three Spetsnaz battalions for each of

6555-413: The registration of each soldier. Task Force Phoenix was the initial U.S. and allied force training organisation in 2002. This program was formalized in April 2003, based near the Kabul Military Training Center . Coalition efforts were initially overseen by OMC-A, then Office of Security Cooperation-Afghanistan, then from 2006 to 2009, by the Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan (CSTC-A),

6650-471: The relationship between the ANA and foreign armies. The U.S. Army's major objectives for the ANA in October 2002 were: The first deployment outside Kabul was made by 3rd Kandak ANA to Paktika Province , including Orgun , in January 2003. By January 2003 just over 1,700 soldiers in five Kandaks ( battalions ) had completed the 10-week training course, and by mid-2003 a total of 4,000 troops had been trained. Approximately 1,000 ANA soldiers were deployed in

6745-416: The rest of the world to help them, as he admits that ammunition and supplies will run out unless Panjshir can be supplied. Massoud has stated his desire to negotiate with the Taliban. Ali Maisam Nazary , spokesman for the resistance, said that the Taliban were overstretched after they seized control of Kabul. On 17 August 2021, ethnic Tajik former soldiers of the Afghan National Army began to arrive in

6840-533: The rival factions fighting for power. However, the missile operators managed to successfully flee and a lack of trained personnel prevented a sustained use of such weapons, and, between April 1992 and 1996, only 44 Scuds were fired in Afghanistan. In spring 1992, the Afghan Army consisted of five corps – 1st Corps at Jalalabad, 2nd at Kandahar, 3rd Corps at Gardez, 4th Corps at Herat, and 6th Corps at Kunduz – as well as five smaller operations groups, including one at Charikar , which had been 5th Corps until it

6935-489: The same time, unconfirmed reports stated that remnants of the Afghan National Army had begun massing in the Panjshir Valley at the urging of Massoud, along with the Minister of Defense Bismillah Mohammadi and provincial commanders. Local civilians also responded to his calls to be mobilized. The Panjshir resistance also claimed to have the support of Abdul Rashid Dostum and Atta Muhammad Nur on 18 August 2021, while it

7030-626: The school. National Resistance Front of Afghanistan The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan ( NRF ), also known as the Second Resistance , is a military alliance of former Northern Alliance members and other anti- Taliban fighters loyal to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan . The founder and president of NRF is Ahmad Massoud . When the Taliban captured Afghanistan on 15 August 2021, former first vice president Amrullah Saleh , citing provisions of

7125-474: The situation under control. In addition to the fighting units, establishment of regional structures began when four of the five planned corps commanders and some of their staff were appointed on 1 September 2004. The first regional command was established in Kandahar on 19 September; the second at Gardez on 22 September, with commands at Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat planned. The Gardez command, also referred to in

7220-624: The size of a battalion. The 93rd Division of the AMF, which Malkasian's The American War in Afghanistan (2021) describes as "1,200 strong" was later reported in southern Helmand. Even by December 2004 Human Rights Watch was still saying in an open letter to Karzai that: " Abdul Rabb al-Rasul Sayyaf , the head of the Ittihad-i Islami faction and the Daw'at-e Islami party [should be curbed]. Sayyaf has no government post but has used his power over

7315-573: The smaller, volunteer, nature of the new army, a change from the previous usage of conscripts. The US also blocked the new government from using the army to pressure Pakistan. The first new Afghan kandak (battalion) was trained by British Army personnel of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), becoming 1st Battalion, Afghan National Guard. Yet while the British troops provided high quality training, they were few in number. After some consideration, it

7410-493: The training of officers for staff and platoon or toli (company) command in a combined commissioning/infantry officer training unit called the Officer Training Brigade (OTB). OTB candidates in the platoon and company command courses were usually former militia and mujaheddin leaders with various levels of military experience. The United Kingdom also conducted initial infantry officer training and commissioning at

7505-613: The two countries in September 1961. In 1953, Lieutenant General Mohammed Daoud Khan , cousin of the King who had previously served as Minister of Defence, was transferred from command of the Central Corps in Kabul to become Prime Minister of Afghanistan . The Central Corps was headquartered at Amanullah's Darulaman Palace. On the opening day of Parliament in October 1965, a violent student demonstration among which Babrak Karmal

7600-627: The west, and the 6th Corps at Kunduz covering the northeast. By 1996 the Taliban Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan seized the country, aiming to control it by Islamic Sharia law . The Taliban's army and commanders placed emphasis on simplicity; some were secretly trained by the Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence and Pakistani Armed Forces around the Durand Line . After the removal of

7695-516: Was a formidable base of operations for anti-Soviet fighters and later for the original Northern Alliance. It was the birthplace of anti-Soviet and Northern Alliance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud . Ahmad Shah Massoud's son, Ahmad Massoud , is widely seen as his successor. In July 2021, during the 2021 Taliban offensive , the remnants of the Northern Alliance began mobilizing under an umbrella called Resistance II . On 9 September,

7790-528: Was assassinated in unclear circumstances. Thereafter a bigger conflict began that resulted in the death of up to 100 people. The battle was between troops of Ismail Khan and Abdul Zahir Nayebzada, a senior local military commander blamed for the death of Sadiq. Nayebzada commanded the 17th Herat Division of the Afghan Militia Forces' 4th Corps . In response to the fighting, about 1,500 newly trained ANA soldiers were sent to Herat in order to bring

7885-408: Was at the forefront forced Zahir Shah 's new prime minister Yousef to resign. Two students were killed when the new corps commander, General Abdul Wali, sent in troops to restore order. From the 1960s to the early 1990s, the Afghan Army received training and equipment mostly from the Soviet Union . The Royal Afghan Army was also photographed wearing white “snegurochka” winter suits in snowy areas of

7980-466: Was challenged after Dost Mohammad's son, Wazir Akbar Khan and the forces he led revolted against the occupying British. By October 1841 disaffected Afghan tribes were flocking to the support of Wazir Akbar Khan in Bamian. The success of Akbar Khan's uprising led to the 1842 retreat from Kabul where the Afghan army decimated British forces, thanks to effective use of the rugged terrain and weapons such as

8075-491: Was commanded by Khalqi Major General Zia-Ud-Din, had its depleted combat resources spread out along the Kabul-Kandahar highway. In 1984–1985, all infantry divisions were restructured to a common design. In 1985 Army units were relieved of security duties, making more available for combat operations. During the 1980s Soviet–Afghan War , the Army fought against the mujahideen rebel groups. Deserters or defectors became

8170-505: Was decided that the United States might be able to provide the training. Thus follow-on kandaks were recruited and trained by 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group . 3rd SFG built the training facilities and ranges for early use, using a Soviet built facility on the eastern side of Kabul, near the then ISAF headquarters. Recruiting and training began in May 2002, with a difficult but successful recruitment process of bringing hundreds of new recruits in from all parts of Afghanistan. Training

8265-554: Was expanded during King Zahir Shah 's reign, starting in 1933. In 1934, soldiers of the Royal Afghan Army were also taught the Japanese martial art of Jujutsu by His Excellency Abdullah Khan, at the royal army school. From 1949–1950 to 1961, Afghanistan-Pakistan skirmishes took place along the frontier, culminating in fighting in Bajaur Agency in September 1960. This led to a breakoff in diplomatic relations between

8360-481: Was in existence by Amanullah's reign. The Army fought the Soviet Union in the Urtatagai conflict (1925–1926) over a border island, following earlier fighting in 1913. In 1927 Afghanistan invited Turkey to send a military advisory mission, resulting in a strengthening of Afghan divisions and brigades, "augmenting each echelon headquarters with supporting staff;" and "regularizing the officer corps". The Afghan Army

8455-520: Was initially done in Pashto and Dari (Persian dialect) and some Arabic due to the very diverse ethnicities. The original US target in April 2002 was that of 12,000 men trained by April 2003, but it was quickly realised that this was too ambitious, and the requirement reduced to only 9,000, to be ready by November 2003. The first female Afghan parachutist Khatol Mohammadzai , trained during the 1980s, became

8550-496: Was not a major threat. There was also a concern with Saleh and Massoud coming from different political backgrounds, with the latter not having the same level of charisma as his father, even though both oppose the Taliban. Kim Sengupta said that support for the resistance would depend on how unpopular the Taliban were and how far people would be willing to stand up against them despite the Taliban's insistence that they would not allow their fighters to persecute people who had worked with

8645-408: Was only under Abdur Rahman that it became a viable and effective institution.' The Library of Congress Country Study for Afghanistan states that when Abdur Rahman came to the throne circa 1880: "..the army was virtually nonexistent. With the assistance of a liberal financial loan from the British, plus their aid in the form of weapons, ammunition, and other military supplies, [Abdur Rahman] began

8740-598: Was part of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. The NDS reported directly to the Office of President . This article about the military of Afghanistan is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Afghan National Army The Islamic National Army ( Pashto : اسلامي ملي اردو , Islāmī Milli Urdu ), also referred to as the Islamic Emirate Army and

8835-419: Was perceived as a violation of the agreement by which the Taliban had been allowed to take military control of the towns. Shuja stated that the Taliban entered houses "and harassed people. In our villages, people are very traditional and Muslim. There is no reason for Taliban to come and teach us about Islam." Former Baghlan prison commander Abdul Rahman stated that "All people of the valley have risen up against

8930-438: Was reduced in status. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Corps, and the operations groups at Sarobi and Khost , nearly completely disintegrated in 1992. Formations in and around Kabul joined different mujahideen militias while forces in the north and west remained intact for a longer period. Forces in the north and west were taken over by three major commanders: Ismael Khan , Ahmed Shah Masoud , and Abdul Rashid Dostam . On 18 April 1992,

9025-557: Was reported that members of Dostum's group, which had retreated into Uzbekistan , said that 10,000 of their soldiers could join forces with the Panjshir resistance, creating a combined force of 15,000 or more. On the same day, Afghan Embassy employees in Tajikistan have replaced photos of Ghani in the embassy building with those of Saleh. According to anonymous ex-American and British soldiers, some of whom were formerly Afghan-based contractors, numerous Afghans living/working abroad have been working together to raise money in order to assist

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