Training the Afghan army – one man’s story
As the man in charge of training the Afghan army, General Amlaqullah Patyani is under a considerable amount of pressure. His military career began more than thirty years ago, so many would argue that there’s no better man for the job.
General Patyani returned to Afghanistan in 2001, when the Taliban reign ended. He had ended up working in Dubai, after fleeing the country when the Taliban took control of the country.
“After I returned to Afghanistan, the coalition forces were here and Mujahideen and resistance forces entered Kabul,” says Patyani. “At that time, the Ministry of Defence announced that all those ranking officers, who used to serve at whatever post, they should return to their posts.” And that’s what General Patyani did, taking up a leadership role.
The Afghan army has improved over the years, as Patyani explains: “At that time when I was the battalion commander, we didn’t have any vehicles or weapons, old or new. We started with the coalition forces from nothing. Since 2001 we’ve witnessed the Afghan army make great progress and increase in numbers.”
Building a new army
Nine months ago, General Patyani was brought back from the battlefield to take charge of the Kabul Military Training Centre in the capital. He’s seen a lot of progress over the years.
“Now fortunately Afghans, our own, are leading the training. The training is provided by our sergeants, by our officers and our friends from the United States and other personnel of coalition forces. In the future, I am hopeful that our army will perform their duties successfully but again our army needs heavy arms and air force support,” says General Patyani.
The army has 150 000 personnel to date. The aim is to increase this by more than twenty thousand by November 2011.
The retention of these soldiers depends a lot on good leadership – something which General Patyani is frequently praised for. “Anyone who leads a group, he or she should be aware of all of the problems of his/her subordinates,” he says. “Their problems should be solved and dealt with. A soldier needs three things: first, good accommodation; second, salary should be given on time; and third, their vacations. If a commander or leader takes these three points in mind, I think a soldier will never leave his duty.“
A long and active army career
Before the Soviet deployment in Afghanistan (December 1979 – February 1989), the young Patyani spent four years as a student at a military academy in Moscow, where he specialized in learning how to maintain and drive tanks.
After his training, General Patyani returned to his homeland and joined the Afghan army. When Soviet troops arrived in Afghanistan, the now 53-year-old joined forces with them and took on the Mujahideen resistance.
Describing his experiences, the General says, “One of the worst memories from that time was when I was a battalion commander in the south, our tank fell into a pit. Another tank came to pull us out, but it also got stuck. The other tanks left. We were surrounded for three days and nights, stuck inside the tank. Rocket-propelled grenades were not available at that time, so the enemy were firing on us with Kalashnikovs and light weapons, but we were inside the tank so they couldn’t harm us. After three days, helicopters and other reinforcements came to rescue us.”
After the Soviets left Afghanistan, General Patyani rejoined the Afghan army. He served in an infantry regiment, but was soon picked up for his leadership skills and selected to train army officers.