Daily Times

Afghanistan’s Army Chief Qari Fasihuddin Makhdoom said on Wednesday that a new regular army will be created in the near future and consultations are ongoing for this purpose.

“Such an army would be created which could defend Afghanistan,” Fasihuddin, an ethnic Tajik, told a gathering in capital Kabul, a week after the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate appointed him as the country’s Chief of the Army Staff. Fasihuddin hails from Badakhshan Province Fasihuddin, who has not held any regular military’s position, has served as the Deputy Commander of the Taliban Military Commission during the war against the US and its NATO allies.

He did not offer comments about the fate of the nearly 300,000 Afghan National Army and other security forces, who were created and trained during the 20 years of foreign forces’ invasion.

“We will create such a strong and disciplined army which is trained and could defend Afghanistan,” the Afghan army chief said. Pro-Taliban media reported Fasihuddin’s comments. He said no one will be allowed to disrupt the peace and stability of Afghanistan and those would be crushed who are bent upon spoiling security under the pretext of resistance, nationalism defending the 20 years of achievement and democracy,” he said. He said those elements would be countered who want bloodshed in Afghanistan. Taliban officials have earlier indicated that those military and security officials could be allowed to return to the security forces who do not have “bad previous record.” There is a strong possibility the Taliban fighters could be merged with the new army. A United Nations report said in May this year that estimates of the armed Taliban fighters range from approximately 58,000 to 100,000, with numbers fluctuating as forces are actively deployed on the battlefield or placed in reserve.

“Taliban numbers remain robust in spite of significant attrition rates incurred in the past few years,” according to the report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team established pursuant to a resolution, which was submitted to the Security Council Committee established pursuant to another resolution.