Afghanistan Military - 2022

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Military and security forces

as of 2022, the Taliban had established a de facto Ministry of Defense and named commanders and deputy commanders for 8 regional corps; in December 2021, it announced the formation of a police force (2022)

Military expenditures

3.3% of GDP (2019) (approximately $2.35 billion)

3.2% of GDP (2018) (approximately $2.31 billion)

3.3% of GDP (2017) (approximately $2.34 billion)

3.1% of GDP (2016) (approximately $2.6 billion)

2.9% of GDP (2015) (approximately $2.22 billion)

Military and security service personnel strengths

in May 2022, the de facto Ministry of Defense announced that approximately 130,000 troops had been recruited for a new "National Army" (2022)

note: as of 2022, there were also up to 10,000 foreign fighters in Afghanistan, most of whom were aligned with the Taliban

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Taliban military/security forces are armed largely with equipment captured from the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) when the central government in Kabul collapsed in 2021 (2022)

Military service age and obligation

not available

note: the Taliban dismissed nearly all women from the former Afghan Government security forces, except those serving in detention facilities and assisting with body searches 

Military - note

as of 2022, the Taliban’s primary security threats included ISIS-Khorasan and anti-Taliban resistance elements known as the National Resistance Front and Afghanistan Freedom Front

NOTE: The information regarding Afghanistan on this page is re-published from the 2022 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Afghanistan 2022 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Afghanistan 2022 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.