Afghanistan eyes doubling its commando forces

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - Afghanistan on Saturday announced plans to double its commando forces amid possible NATO support to address escalating nationwide violence.

Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Dawlat Waziri told reporters in Kabul that the Afghan National Civil Order Police and Afghan Border Police will be merged with the ministry, and the Afghan National Army Commandoes Forces will be doubled in size and upgraded to a corps level.

He added, “NATO’s commitment to continue its support to Afghanistan and our security forces is very important to implementing the ministry’s four-year security roadmap”.

On Thursday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg highlighted three areas of focus in Afghanistan, including strengthening the Special Forces.

“We have seen that the Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan have been very professional and very important in the fight against the Taliban and we are now working on how we can further strengthen the Special Operations Forces of the Afghan Army,” he told a NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels.

Although they are a small fraction of Afghanistan’s armed forces, the Special Forces have been executing most of the army’s offensive operations.