High-ranking Afghan military official has announced plans to bring the strength of the country’s army to 200,000
The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, said in an interview with RTA that efforts will be taken to make forces of the Ministry of Defense (MoD) more professional.
Fitrat further stated that the Afghanistan Taliban government has decided to increase the size of the army from 150,000 to 200,000.
“We have decided to increase the size of the army, God willing, in the following year, from 150,000 to 170,000 and gradually increase the number of troops to 200,000,” he said, according to TOLOnews.
Firstpost reports that Afghan military expert, Sarwar Niazi considers that Afghanistan should at least have an army in proportion to its neighbors and in proportion to its population. “An army that has an air force, artillery, ground troops, and air defense forces,” the expert added.
Firstpost notes that over the past two decades, military training in Afghanistan has been one of the most costly sectors. The 350,000-member force of the previous government was reportedly disbanded after the collapse of that government.
It is to be noted that since the Taliban seized power in August 2021, the number of fighters in the group's ranks has not been independently confirmed.
Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat is an Afghan military commander who is the current Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. He has been a senior member of the Taliban.
Qari Fasihuddin was born in Badakhshan Province and originated from Isterab, Warduj District. He belongs to the Tajik ethnic group and raised by religious family.
