the Taliban claims authority over a Ministry of Defense and a National Army (aka Army of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Islamic Emirate Army, or Afghan Army); it has also formed police forces under a Ministry of Interior (2024)
3.3% of GDP (2019)
3.2% of GDP (2018)
3.3% of GDP (2017)
3.1% of GDP (2016)
2.9% of GDP (2015)
the Taliban claims that approximately 150,000 personnel had been recruited for a new National Army; it also claims that over 50,000 personnel had been trained for the police forces (2023)
note: as of 2022, there were also up to 10,000 foreign fighters in Afghanistan, most of whom were aligned with the Taliban
the Taliban military/security forces are armed largely with US-provided equipment captured from the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (2023)
service is voluntary; there is no conscription (2023)
note: the Taliban dismissed nearly all women from the former Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, except those serving in detention facilities and assisting with body searches
the Taliban’s primary security threats include ISIS-Khorasan and anti-Taliban resistance elements known as the National Resistance Front and Afghanistan Freedom Front (2023)
NOTE: The information regarding Afghanistan on this page is re-published from the 2024 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Afghanistan 2024 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Afghanistan 2024 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.
This page was last modified 04 May 24, Copyright © 2024 ITA all rights reserved.
