Above 1000-strong Afghan commando unit passes out

KABUL (Pajhwok): An above 1000-strong commando unit graduated from the 21st Commando Qualification Course at the Camp Commando in capital Kabul on Thursday.

The graduation marked the passage of the new commando force into the elite Afghan Special Security Forces, who had never lost on the battlefield, a statement from NATO Resolute Support in Kabul said.

The successful transformation of traditional ANA units into the commando force would enable the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command to create seven additional mobile Strike Kandaks in the next four years.

The alliance said: “These units, in addition to new Afghan Air Force capabilities would provide the regionally-aligned brigades of special operators with significant operational reach to pursue adversaries over Afghanistan’s rugged terrain in all weather conditions.”

The first commando mobile Strike Kandak would be ready in late spring of 2018 to go into action against the Taliban, ahead of the start to when fighting has traditionally increased as winter recedes.

The impact of security sector reforms was more and more obvious on the battlefield, and the Commandos, along with the specialized counter-terrorism police units and the Air Force’s Special Mission Wing, were an important component of the Afghan 2020 Roadmap.

“The Roadmap is President Ghani’s vision and plan to build increasingly effective, affordable and sustainable Afghan security forces, an important element of which included doubling the size of the ASSF.”

nh/ma