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Afghan National Army Commandos

The Afghan National Army Commandos are under the control of the Ministry of Defense (MoD).   1.  The commando units are an elite, quick-reaction infantry-based force that can act independently.  Each of the regional Afghan Corps have a Commando Kandak.

Early History of Commandos.  The first two battalions were formed in 2007 from an existing conventional battalion.  The concept for the commandos was developed by the CJSOTF-A.  The initial Afghan cadre received training in 2006 in Jordan.  3.

CJSOTF-A.  The Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan have been the primary trainers of the Afghan National Army Commandos. The parent organization for the CJSOTF-A is the Special Operations Joint Task Force - Afghanistan (SOJTF-A).

Afghan commandos listen to OPORD briefing (photo SGT Ben Tuck)

Organization and Size of the Commandos.  There are (as of January 2012) nine Commando Kandaks (battalions) in the Afghan National Army. There had been plans for a total of twelve Commando Kandaks; however the decision to form the Afghan National Army Special Forces (ANASF) put the expansion of the Commandos on hold.  There are over 5,000 personnel in the Afghan Commandos; with about 700 men in each of the nine Kandaks. There are tentative plans to establish a 10th Commando Kandak in 2015.

Training

Training.  All recruits for the commandos must first complete the 10-week long Afghan basic training course.  They then attend the commando course which is 14-weeks long (as of January 2018).  Training is conducted at Camp Morehead Commando Training Center located about six miles south of Kabul, Afghanistan.  The commando units train and operate very much like the U.S. Ranger battalions.  The training program includes intensive individual and small-unit tactics and movement techniques while under fire.  In addition, the commandos are taught mortars, sniper fire, close-quarter battle (CQB) tactics, combat lifesaving, tactical driving, land navigation, and reconnainssance techniques.

Trainers.  Select members of the Afghan Army Commandos are the primary instructors.  These Afghan instructors have been assisted in the past and/or are assisted by mentors from U.S. Army Special Forces, French Special Forces, and some contractors working for a PMC.

Program of Instruction for Afghan Commandos.  During the Commando training the Soldiers learn advanced combat marksmanship, small unit tactics, demolitions, direct action, cordon and search, search and attack missions, ambush, and leadership skills.

Medical Training. Afghan Special Security Forces medics attend the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command's Advanced Medical Training Course at the ANASOC School of Excellence, Camp Commando. The ten-week advanced course includes six weeks of classroom instruction followed by a four-week clinical rotation at one of the military's Regional Medical Centers.

Advisors

Advisors. Some selected Afghan Special Operations units will continue to have assigned advisors for the remainder of 2013 and for most of 2014. These advisors will certainly work with the Special Operations brigades and may also continue to work with the Special Operations kandaks. ^4.

Command.  The Afghan Commandos were commanded by Brig General Dadon Lawang.  Lawang is a long-time veteran of the Afghan military.  He went on to be the commander of 4th Brigade 201st Corps in eastern Afghanistan and then in December of 2014 appointed as commander of the 215th Corps in southwestern Afghanistan.

ANA Special Operations Command (ANASOC).  This division sized headquarters grew from the SOF Brigade when the ANA decided to expand the ANASF and build support elements to augment the Commandos and ANASF.  The ANA Commandos will be the 'direct action"  force while the 1st Special Forces Brigade will conduct internal defense, reconnaissance, and direct action missions.  Planned for the future are two Commando brigades, one Special Forces brigade, one training brigade, one support brigade, and one strategic battalion.

Equipment.  The commandos use U.S. weapons, tan Ford Ranger 4x4 pickups, and older versions of U.S. uniforms. Upon graduating from the commando course the students don their red berets which becomes part of their uniform.  Issued weapons include M4 carbines, M240 machineguns, and M249 squad automatic weapons.  The commandos are even equipped with night vision goggles 2. and Oakley sunglasses. 3.

Camp Commando. The training facility for the ANA SOF is at Camp Commando. The camp was known as Camp Morehead when run by the U.S. Special Forces.

Sources of Info on Afghan Commandos

Blog Posts about ANA Commandos by Afghan War News Blog
http://afghanwarnews.blogspot.com/search/label/Commando-Kandaks

ANA Special Operations Command.  WikipediA.

ANA Commando Brigade.  WikipediA.

Afghan National Army Commandos.  Facebook.

News Articles about the Afghan National Army Commandos

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Endnotes

1.  Afghan Commandos Add Special Forces.  DVIDS, May 13, 2010.  The first Afghan National Army Special Forces class graduated on May 12, 2010.  Accessed here Feb 2012.

2.   Solicitation for NVGs for Commandos by FedBizOpss.gov.  The Afghan National Army Commandos have been issued night vision goggles.  Accessed here Feb 2012.

3.  Jordan has been a staunch ally of the U.S. See "Q&A with Brigadier General Edward M. Reeder Jr.", Special Warfare Center and School, October-December 2011 edition of Special Warfare.  Accessed here Feb 2012.

4. For more on advisors and trainers from USSF read a story about a 5th SFG unit working with the ANA SOF in Herat entitled "US Special Forces shape the future of Afghan special operations", DVIDS, October 19, 2013 accessed here.

5. For more on ASSF medical training read "Afghan Special Security Forces medics complete advanced medical training", DVIDS, January 29, 2018.