Afghanistan: Taliban to create a 'grand army' with troops from previous Afghan government

When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the country’s national army dissolved, with many of its officials fleeing the country. As the insurgent group looks to rebuild, it announced that it will create a national army and will include troops from the previous government.

Latifullah Hakimi, who leads the Taliban’s Ranks Clearance Commission, said during a news conference Monday that the insurgent group is creating a “grand army” for Afghanistan. The new army will include officers and soldiers from the previous Western-backed government. Hakimi also revealed that half of the 81 helicopters and planes that were rendered unusable by the US government had also been repaired.

Hakimi revealed that the Taliban forces obtained over 300,000 light arms, 26,000 heavy weapons, and around 61,000 military vehicles during their takeover in the heels of the US-led military withdrawal in August. The country’s military forces dissolved during the takeover, abandoning their bases and leaving their weapons and vehicles behind.

While the insurgent group has pledged to grant amnesty for those who served in the previous regime and those who helped the foreign military forces, almost all senior government and military officials fled during the evacuation efforts. The rest of those who remained went into hiding for fear of reprisals from the Taliban.

So far, the Taliban has appointed two senior former Afghan National Army officers to top posts in the country’s defense ministry. The two former officers are specialist surgeons tied to the country’s main military hospital. Hakimi said that the Taliban will form a “grand army” according to Afghanistan’s needs and national interests, and also one that Afghanistan could afford.

Afghanistan is also experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis, with other countries scrambling to provide the much-needed aid for its people. Officials in India have announced this week that tons of wheat have been transported to Afghanistan in an effort to relieve the food shortages occurring.

The transporting of wheat through Pakistan comes as both sides have made a deal to allow shipments to pass through the border. Around 50 trucks with 2,500 tons of wheat were transported to Afghanistan through Pakistan on Tuesday.