GARDEZ (Pajhwok): Chief of Army Staff Gen. Sher Mohammad Karimi on Monday said efforts had been launched to strengthen the Afghan Air Force and border police.
Gen. Karimi, who arrived on a visit to southeastern Paktia province, met with troops from the Afghan National Army’s Thunder Military Corps.
The army chief praised the national army personnel and promised they would have a strong air force and heavy weaponry in the near future.
Over the next two years, Gen. Karimi said the national army would be fully equipped and capable from all aspects.
He said Afghan forces had been independently conducting operations over the past two years and had sought little support from foreign counterparts on some occasions.
Referring to border police, Gen. Karimi said strengthening the force was one of the important jobs to be done.
“Border police have many problems, but we have in plans to change their situation and equip them with weapons and increase privileges for the personnel.”
Meanwhile, some ANA service members called as important having a strong air force, which could resolve many problems and could improve activities of the ground forces.
Habibullah, one of the service members, said if the air force was established, casualties among forces would decline and their performance and affairs would improve.
He said ANA troops had on many occasions called for air support from foreign troops and now when the foreign forces had withdrawn, the Ministry of Defence should revivie own air force.
Senior Ministry of Defence officials have long been claiming the Afghan forces would be equipped with advanced weapons, but the claims are yet to be fully materialised.
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