KABUL: NATO advised Afghan National Army to switch from defensive to offensive strategy and spent less time in operating checkpoints and more in fight against Taliban militants.
NATO Brigadier General Wilson Shoffner said “They’ve got way too many soldiers on checkpoints.”
Shoffner claimed “The idea is to reduce checkpoints and to consolidate onto strong points as the strong points have the strength to defend itself and also has a manoeuvre capability.”
An Afghan official said “We have decided to pull out our troops from their defensive role and prepare them for an aggressive role in the coming year.”
He claimed that we are preparing them with hard training and better equipment.
Afghan army has built checkpoints to counter militants which are easy as compared to patrolling operation.
It is reported that 500 soldiers are based at checkpoints out of a battalion of 600 soldiers.
Taliban killed at least 13 people including 9 civilians in northern Parwan province of Afghanistan in a suicide attack targeting police commander.
Taliban have increased their attacks on Afghan Local Police (ALP) since the end of NATO’s combat mission in 2014.