KABUL - The Afghan National Army is expected to expand its commando forces from 16,000 to 23,000 by next year, officials confirmed.
Following the announcement of the US’s new strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia, the training of Afghan commando forces has been intensified and numbers are expected to increase, said army officials Tuesday.
Commando trainers said these special forces are trained to defeat the enemy in any situation.
While the training of the forces has intensified, Afghan army officials said they also plan to increase the numbers from 16,000 to 23,000 by next year.
The commandos are selected from trained army , who excel in their duties, and are then given specialized training.
Most of the commando training takes place under the supervision of foreign training advisors.
“We train them professionally in the latest commando tactics to become ready to fight the enemy in any condition,” one commando trainer, Mohammad Nasir Ahmadi, said.
He said one of the key areas in their training was to teach them to focus and to perfect their shooting skills.
Ahmadi said that knowing how to breach compounds under threat was also key in their training – tactics they use mostly during night operations.
“We learn the most professional lessons and do heavy drills,” one soldier, Abdul Kabir, said.
“Our teachers are the best. We have became familiar with all types of weapons and know how to use them. Our lessons continue until we are ready to step out on the battlefields,” another soldier, Farhad, said.
Being dropped off in areas under threat are also part of their training, another trainer, Tariq Aziz, said.
“We train them how to use helicopters in operations; how to ensure their own security to reach to the target and carry out the operation.”
Commandos fall under the Afghan National Army and are an elite special forces unit attached to corps around the country. They carry out a large percentage of the army’s offensive operations and have notched up substantial successes since being established in 2007. (Tolonews)