Photos and video: Afghan woman officers receive training in India

The training programme is part of the Afghan National Army's efforts to boost the number of women in the armed forces.

AFP

2017-12-14

Twenty Afghan woman officers receive weapons training and learn tactics and logistical and navigational skills at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai, the only military training establishment in India for both men and women. [NNIS/AFP]

NEW DELHI -- From shooting an AK-47 to dealing with computer-simulated sieges, 20 Afghan woman officers are being put through their paces at a military training academy in India.

They are the first Afghan women to attend the Officers Training Academy in the Indian city of Chennai, which has been training men from Afghanistan's military for several years.

The women receive weapons training and learn tactics and logistical and navigational skills at the academy, which is the only military training establishment in India for both men and women.

This week they studied how to use an AK-47 and received classroom training in ambush situations.

An Afghan women cadet fires a target during a practice session at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai on December 11, 2017. [AFP]

Afghan army cadets take part in a firing excercise during a training programme at the Officers Training Academy in the Indian city of Chennai on December 11, 2017. [STR / AFP]

Afghan army cadets take part in a firing exercise during a training programme at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai, India, December 11. Twenty female Afghan army cadets are taking part in an Indian military training programme. [STR/AFP]

Afghan army cadets take part in a three-week classroom and practical training programme at the Officers Training Academy Chennai, India, December 11. [STR/AFP]

The three-week course ends December 24 and is reported to be a pilot for a full training scheme being planned for next year as part of the Afghan National Army's efforts to recruit more women.

Afghanistan has said it wants women to make up 10% of the armed forces. Barely 3% of the present-day military is female.

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2 Comment

عبدالله | 2017-12-15

Most of them are Hazaras. Pashtun [females] should also be encouraged and enrolled. Now, they look like the Mongolian or Japanese army's personnel.

| 2019-01-09

This is interesting. But it would be better if women are trained with more precision in such specializations as nursing, medicine, etc. As for the one who make comments about Hazaras, he must be told not to criticize the work of God. For, Hazaras also have their Gods. In general, people are all different, regardless of their ethnicity. Criticizing the work of God is akin to blasphemy. It requires hundreds and even thousands of books to fully review the ugliness of Afghans. Essentially, Afghan people always violate respectfulness and politeness. May curse be upon this ignorant tribe.