By Xinhua,
Kabul : Over 1,500 officers and soldiers after completion of a six-month course and receiving certificates joined Afghanistan National Army (ANA) on Thursday.
“The graduation of 98th battalion today speaks of boosting the capacity of the country’s national army and enable the security forces to further check subversive activities,” a senior defense ministry officer General Mohammad Qasim Wardak said in his speech at graduation ceremony.
Afghanistan currently has some 80,000-strong army and its strength is expected to rise to 134,000 by 2011.
United States, Britain and France have been playing important role in giving training to Afghanistan’s new brand army as well as its equipping since the collapse of Taliban regime seven years ago.