Afghan National Security Forces

The Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), also known as the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), were the military and internal security forces of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.^[1][2] They were part of the forces who instead of fighting^[3] "preferred to save their lives by surrendering to the Taliban under its amnesty offers".^[4]

As of 30 June 2020, the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) or Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) were composed of the Afghan National Army (including the Afghan Border Force, Afghan Air Force, Afghan Territorial Army, Afghan National Civil Order Force), Afghan National Police (including Afghan Local Police), and the National Directorate of Security (including the Afghan Special Force).^[2]

Structure

The Afghan National Security Forces consisted of

• Ministry of Defence^[5]
  • Afghan National Army (ANA):^[6] In December 2020 the U.S. Department of Defense wrote that the ANA General Staff commanded and controlled all of Afghanistan’s ground and air forces, including "the ANA conventional forces, the Afghan Air Force (AAF), the Special Mission Wing (SMW), the ANA Special Operations Command (ANASOC), the Afghan National Civil Order Force (ANCOF), and the Afghan Border Force (ABF). In total, the ANA consisted of 27 combat brigades, three combat air wings, four branch and basic training schools, seven ANCOF brigades, seven ABF brigades, and additional support facilities such as depots and hospitals."^[7]
• Ministry of Interior Affairs^[8]
  • Afghan National Police (ANP)^[9]
    • Afghan Uniformed Police (AUP)^[9]
    • Public Security Police (PSP)^[9]
    • Afghan Border Police (ABP)^[9]
    • General Directorate for Intelligence and Counter Crime (GDICC) (formerly Afghan Anti-Crime Police (AACP))^[10]
    • Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF)^[10]
    • Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA)^[10]
    • Afghan Local Police (ALP)^[11][12]
  • General Command of Police Special Units (GCPSU)^[13][14]
    • Afghan Territorial Force (ATF) 444^[13][14]
    • Crisis Response Unit (CRU) 222^[13][15][14]
    • Commando Force (CF) 333^[13][15][14] (formerly Afghan Special Narcotics Force)^[16]

NATO special operations forces trained, advised and assisted the ANASOC, SMW and GCPSU who were collectively known as the Afghan Special Security Forces (ASSF).^[17][18][19] The ASSF was described as the "ANDSF’s primary offensive forces".^[19]

The National Directorate of Security (NDS) was the state intelligence and security service and was part of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.^[20] The NDS reported directly to the Office of President.^[21]

See also

•  Afghanistan portal

• Military of Afghanistan
• Law enforcement in Afghanistan

References

1. United States. Department of Defense 2020b, p. 18.
2. European Asylum Support Office 2020, p. 26.
3. Bennett, John T. (2021-08-16). "Biden defends Afghan withdrawal, says country's military 'refused to fight'". rollcall.com. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
4. Basit, Abdul. "Why did the Afghan army disintegrate so quickly?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
5. United States. Department of Defense 2020b, pp. 18, 35.
6. European Asylum Support Office 2020, p. 27.
7. United States. Department of Defense 2020b, pp. 38.
8. United States. Department of Defense 2020b, pp. 18, 54.
9. United States. Department of Defense 2020b, p. 58.
10. United States. Department of Defense 2020b, pp. 58–59.
11. United States. Department of Defense 2020b, p. 59.
12. Helmus 2015, p. 3.
13. Helmus 2015, p. 2.
14. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction 2022, p. 212.
15. United States. Department of Defense 2020b, p. 60.
16. Willasey-Wilsey, Tim (30 August 2023). "Afghanistan: A Final British Betrayal?". Royal United Services Institute. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
17. United States. Department of Defense 2020b, p. 4.
18. Helmus 2015, p. 1.
19. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction 2021, p. 75.
20. . The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 24 April 2018. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018.
21. European Asylum Support Office 2020, pp. 35–36.

Bibliography

• European Asylum Support Office (August 2020). . Publications Office of the European Union. ISBN 9789294856500. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
• Helmus, Todd C. (2015). Advising the Command : Best Practices from the Special Operation's Advisory Experience in Afghanistan (PDF). Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. ISBN 9780833088918. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
• Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (June 2013). (PDF) (Report). Arlington, Va. OCLC 851498021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2013.
• Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (June 2022). Police in conflict: lessons from the U.S. experience in Afghanistan (PDF) (Report). Arlington, Va. OCLC 1408444974. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
• Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (30 July 2021). Quarterly report to the United States Congress (PDF) (Report). Arlington, Va. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
• United States. Department of Defense (December 2020b). Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan (PDF) (Report). 7-653B15D. Retrieved 18 August 2021.

Further reading

• Jalali, Ali A. (2016). Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces : mission, challenges, and sustainability (PDF). Peaceworks No. 115. Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace. ISBN 9781601276018. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
• United Nations Assistance Mission In Afghanistan; Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (February 2021). Afghanistan Protection Of Civilians In Armed Conflict Annual Report 2020 (PDF) (Report). Kabul, Afghanistan. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
• United States. Department of Defense (June 2020a). Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan (PDF) (Report). E-2BA2571. Retrieved 18 August 2021.

External links

• Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), Media Backgrounder, NATO, October 2013