Afghan Armed Forces

Afghan Armed Forces. The Afghan Armed Forces were the military forces of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, existing in their final form from 2002 until the collapse of the republic in August 2021. They were principally composed of the Afghan National Army, the Afghan Air Force, and the Afghan National Police, which fell under the Ministry of Interior Affairs (Afghanistan). The forces were rebuilt from scratch with extensive international support following the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the Taliban's first regime, becoming a central pillar of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) against the insurgent Taliban and other groups.

History

The modern iteration of the Afghan Armed Forces traces its origins to the early 18th-century forces of the Hotak dynasty and the Durrani Empire under Ahmad Shah Durrani. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the military was shaped by conflicts including the Anglo-Afghan Wars, the Saur Revolution, and the subsequent Soviet–Afghan War, during which the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan was supported by the Soviet Armed Forces. Following the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the Bonn Agreement established the framework for new national security institutions, leading to their wholesale reconstruction under the guidance of the United States Department of Defense and NATO's Resolute Support Mission. Their history culminated in a rapid disintegration during the 2021 Taliban offensive, leading to the final surrender to the Taliban in Kabul.

Organization

The armed forces were organized under the central command of the President of Afghanistan as commander-in-chief, with operational oversight divided between the Ministry of Defense (Afghanistan) for the army and air force, and the Ministry of Interior Affairs (Afghanistan) for the national police. The Afghan National Army was structured into several corps, each responsible for a regional command such as the 201st Corps in Kabul and the 205th Corps in Kandahar. The Afghan Air Force operated from key bases including Kabul International Airport and Kandahar Airfield, while specialized units like the Afghan Special Forces and the General Command of Police Special Units reported to the National Directorate of Security.

Personnel and training

Personnel were recruited through a mix of voluntary enlistment and conscription, with training conducted primarily by NATO member states. The United States Army and its Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan played the lead role, with significant contributions from the British Army, Bundeswehr, and Italian Army. Key training facilities included the Marshall Fahim National Defense University in Kabul and the Afghan National Army Air Force training center. High attrition rates due to casualties, insurgent attacks, and desertion were persistent challenges, exacerbated by issues of corruption and ethnic tensions within the ranks.

Equipment

The equipment of the Afghan Armed Forces was predominantly supplied by the United States as part of the Security Forces Assistance Fund. The Afghan National Army utilized infantry weapons like the M16 rifle and M4 carbine, along with armored vehicles such as the Humvee and M1117 Guardian. The Afghan Air Force fleet included rotary-wing aircraft like the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Mil Mi-17, as well as fixed-wing Cessna 208 and Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano aircraft. A significant portion of this equipment, including MD 530F scout helicopters and ScanEagle drones, was captured by the Taliban following the republic's collapse.

Role and operations

The primary role of the armed forces was conducting counter-insurgency operations against the Taliban, Haqqani network, and elements of Islamic State – Khorasan Province. Major operations included Operation Moshtarak in Helmand Province and Operation Zulfiqar in Kunduz Province. They worked in tandem with International Security Assistance Force and later Resolute Support Mission troops, and were responsible for securing national elections, such as the 2014 Afghan presidential election. Their operational effectiveness was heavily dependent on U.S. and NATO support for logistics, air power, and medical evacuation.

International cooperation

International cooperation was fundamental to the existence and funding of the Afghan Armed Forces. The principal security partner was the United States, which provided the majority of financial support, equipment, and advisors through entities like the United States Central Command. NATO members, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, and Italy, contributed trainers and funding through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency. Other nations, such as India, provided strategic training and donated equipment like Mil Mi-24 helicopters, while Russia maintained limited military-technical contacts. This cooperation largely ceased following the Doha Agreement (2020) and the subsequent Taliban takeover.