Non-Subscriber Extract
ANA commits to increased deployments in Taliban heartland
By Brooks Tigner
22 February 2008
The Afghan National Army (ANA) will boost troop levels in mid-March across the Taliban's traditional stronghold of southern Afghanistan, although it still lacks certain critical weapon systems, the Afghan Defence Ministry's chief spokesman has said.
While predicting no major fighting by the Taliban comparable to their spring offensive in the first half of 2007, Mohammad Zaher Azimi told reporters in Brussels during a 14 February video briefing from Kabul that "there may be some conflicts in the spring [second quarter of 2008] but it will not be anything like last year".
He continued: "A year ago we had only 30,000 trained troops available. Today we have 70,000-plus weapons such as M16 and M4 [infantry assault] rifles."
Azimi said two thirds of the ANA's first-recruit soldiers have chosen to renew their service with a three-year contract and the army is increasing salaries and leave time as incentives to remain.
He acknowledged that the ANA can only launch military campaigns with heavy support from the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) but added: "I disagree that ANA morale collapses [in instances where] ISAF withdraws."
Image: Afghan National Army commandos training on the outskirts of Kabul (PA Photos)