Afghan Border Force

The Afghan Border Force (ABF) was[1] responsible for security of Afghanistan's border area with neighboring countries extending up to 30 miles (48 km) into the interior and formed part of the Afghan National Army.[2] In December 2017, most of the Afghan Border Police (ABP) personnel of the Afghan National Police were transferred to the Afghan National Army to form the Afghan Border Force.[3] The ABP retained 4,000 personnel for customs operations at border crossings and international airports such as checking documents of foreigners entering the country or deporting them.[4][5]

Afghan Border Police (ABP) Regional Command - West in Herat Province of Afghanistan.

The ABF's, and its predecessor the ABP, anti-narcotic efforts were a prominent concern to the international community during the War in Afghanistan. The ABF, and the ABP in its former role, patrolled a 50 km-wide corridor along the entirety of Afghanistan's 5,529 kilometres (3,436 mi) border, particularly the long and porous Durand Line border in the southeast with neighboring Pakistan.

Organization

The ABP fell under the command of the Afghan National Police (ANP) which was under the administrative control of the Ministry of Interior Affairs. The ABP was headquartered in Kabul, in the nation's capital, and was commanded by a Lieutenant General. Prior to 2017, the Afghan Border Police divided command of its 23,000 members across 6 zones to protect 14 Border Crossing Points and 5 Major Airports.

Mazar-e-Sharif (Northern Zone)
Members of the ABP search a locomotive near the Hairatan border crossing point.
Afghan border agent near the Afghanistan-Tajikistan Bridge at Sher Khan Bandar in Kunduz Province

Fayzabad (Northeastern Zone)

Jalalabad (Eastern Zone)
Torkham in Nangarhar Province, the main border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Frontier Corps Balochistan soldier (left) and the Afghan Border Police soldier (right) guards at the Friendship Gate Chaman, a border gate at Afghanistan-Pakistan border which is seven km southeast of Spin Boldak, Afghanistan.

Gardez (Southeastern Zone)
ABP officer aiming a modified AMD-65 at the border post in Paktika Province
An Afghan Border Police agent at Khost border crossing in 2007
  • Paktia Province
    • Azra District
    • Zazi District
    • Dand Wa Patan District
  • Khost Province
    • Jaji Maydan District
    • Bak District
    • Tirazayi District
    • Khost District
    • Gurbuz District
    • Tani District
    • Spera District
  • Paktika Province
    • Ziruk District
    • Urgon District
    • Gayan District
    • Barmal District
    • Gomal District
    • Wor Mamay District

Kandahar (Southern Zone)
An ABP garrison in Kandahar Province during final inspection by United States Armed Forces.
A Hospital Corpsman instructs Afghan soldiers on proper weapons handling at the border patrol compound in Shamshad, Afghanistan

Herat (Western Zone)
Gen. David H. Petraeus visiting Herat in 2010.

The majority of the Afghan Border Police officers were trained by the United States Armed Forces and various Federal government employees as well as by the European Union Police Mission (EUPOL). In order to prepare for their duties as ABP, recruits attended an 8-week course designed by the German Bundespolizei (BPOL). Also Italy provided qualified training to ABP personnel in West Region by TF GRIFO deployed in Herat by the Guardia di Finanza. The BPOL were still heavily involved in mentoring ABP officers as of 2009.[6]

In January 2011, there were at least 25 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection officers providing training to the Afghan Border Police. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano stated that the number could reach 65 or more by the end of 2011. Napolitano visited the Torkham border crossing with Pakistan and was satisfied with the progress being made there.[7]

The ABP was known to have jointly trained with the Tajik Border Troops, its equivalent in Tajikistan, which was overseen by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.[8]

References
  1. "Two suspected British Islamic State recruits seized by Taliban at border". The Guardian.
  2. United States. Department of Defense (December 2020). Enhancing Security and Stability In Afghanistan (PDF). pp. 38, 40. 7-653B15D. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  3. United States. Department of Defense (June 2018). Enhancing Security and Stability In Afghanistan (PDF). pp. 67, 78, 103. D-F54BED1. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  4. Department of Defense 2018, p. 38.
  5. Hashimi, Abdul Mueed (24 April 2012). "35 illegal Pakistanis deported from Nangarhar". Pajhwok Afghan News. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015.
  6. "Germany to send 1,200 police to Afghanistan", The Local, Berlin, 10 Oct 2009, archived from the original on 13 October 2009, retrieved 2009-10-25
  7. "US to bolster Afghan border, customs training". MSNBC. Archived from the original on 2011-01-06. Retrieved 2011-01-13.
  8. Stojkovsky, Goran (November 28, 2012). "Tajik and Afghan border guards complete training". OSCE. Retrieved 2013-09-26.
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