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Article: Afghan national army strength approaches 6,000 as slow training process continues
- Article from:
- AP Worldstream
- Article date:
- September 29, 2003
- Author:
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ALEKSANDAR VASOVIC, Associated Press Writer
AP Worldstream
09-29-2003
Dateline: KABUL, Afghanistan
Afghanistan's national army gained a new battalion Monday, boosting the force to about 6,000 and raising hopes that government troops will one day take control from warlord militias that still hold sway over large parts of the country.
The 663 soldiers and 13 officers of the 11th battalion paraded to a military band and drilled with AK-47 rifles at a ceremony at their Kabul training ground. It was the first time that Afghan, rather than foreign, instructors trained an entire battalion. Officers received training from French instructors on how to run 12-week basic training courses.
The battalion ...