Decline in Afghan forces less sharp than thought: SIGAR
The strength of Afghanistan’s security forces has declined less sharply than previously reported, a US watchdog said, citing incorrect figures given by the US military in April 2018.
The quarterly report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), released in April 2018, had stated that Afghan security forces had been depleted by about 10% over the course of a year.
Based on that figure, there were estimated to be 296,409 active military, police and intelligence personnel as of 31 January 2018.
But on 15 May SIGAR said corrected figures from United States Forces-Afghanistan ‘indicate a total ANDSF (Afghan National Defence and Security Forces) strength of 313,728 as of 31 January.’
The watchdog said: ‘The new numbers still show that overall ANDSF strength declined sharply from January 2017 to January 2018 (by 17,980 personnel), though not as sharply as reported.’
The confusion was ‘the latest in a series of problems SIGAR’ has faced regarding information about Afghan forces, it said.
The updated figures come on the heels of another deadly day in Afghanistan as the Taliban launched an assault on the western city of Farah. Commandos from Herat and Kandahar were rushed to the provincial capital as US and Afghan air forces carried out airstrikes.
This helped to push the insurgents to the outskirts of Farah by early 16 May, though a clearing operation was still going on.
You may also like
More from Defence Notes
-
![Intelligence innovation: From data overload to decision advantage (Podcast)]()
Intelligence innovation: From data overload to decision advantage (Podcast)
As militaries face an overwhelming flow of data, the challenge is shifting from collection to delivering fast, actionable insights that drive decision-making. Advances in AI and data integration are helping armed forces move beyond siloed systems to generate real-time intelligence across domains and allies.
-
![Teledyne FLIR adds GPS-denied 3D-mapping capabilities to its CBRN uncrewed platforms]()
Teledyne FLIR adds GPS-denied 3D-mapping capabilities to its CBRN uncrewed platforms
In a partnership with Emesent, Teledyne FLIR will equip its autonomous air, ground and detection systems with the Hovermap LiDAR payload in a move that highlights a broader market shift towards modular architectures, shared payloads and interoperability across platforms.
-
![US seeks 32% boost for missile defence budget with $23 billion earmarked for interceptors]()
US seeks 32% boost for missile defence budget with $23 billion earmarked for interceptors
The Pentagon’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year includes an impressive increase in the procurement of interceptors, with the number of the US Army’s PAC-3 MSE rounds expanding by 683%, the US Navy’s Standard Missile by 365% and the MDA’s SM-3 IIA by more than 1,000%.
-
![US Army partners with Global Military Products to surge munitions production]()
US Army partners with Global Military Products to surge munitions production
Global Military Products was selected by the US Army to operate the Quad Cities Cartridge Case Facility and ramp up the production of various calibre shell cases.
