A Door to Afghanistan
COMBINED FORCES COMMAND – AFGHANISTAN
TOWR KHAM FIRE BASE, Afghanistan – He says his unit acts as a door to Afghanistan, responsible for keeping bad people and bad things out and catching bad people trying to leave the country.
Commander Naqeebullah of the Afghan Border Police’s 1st Brigade, 2nd Battalion, directs the efforts of more than 300 men responsible for 160 kilometers of the Afghan-Pakistan border ranging from Tora Bora to Shirzad. He commands from a rocky outcrop overlooking the village of Ghani Kheyl in the Shinwar District of eastern Afghanistan.
“I feel more like a soldier than commander,” said the native of Sarshai village who escaped to Pakistan and fought against the Taliban regime from the Panjshir Mountains. “I don’t do this for the money – I’m already a wealthy man – I do this for my country.”
Several of Naqeebullah’s men are among the more than 62,000 national police, highway police and border police officers who have completed basic training programs at facilities throughout Afghanistan.
Because there are no major vehicle border crossings in his area, the commander sends his men out along paths carved through centuries of trade – most are little more than donkey or caravan trails.
Members of the ABP’s 1st Brigade, 1st Battalion near the town of Reneh have even received help from local villagers in stopping insurgents and smugglers, according to ABP 1st Lt. Naqib Ullah, commander of the battalion’s Kamah Dakan Compound.
“The people of Reneh are soldiers and they have formed a militia to help us patrol and protect the border,” he said.
ABP Capt. Khan Mohammad, another commander within the 1st Battalion in Jangora, said his men routinely check items for illegal drugs or weapons as well as car parts and motor oil carried through the mountains by donkeys, horses and camels.
“I’m very proud to be a part of the rebuilding effort of my country,” said Mohammad. “My men are very brave and honorable.”
Naqeebullah’s men also conduct “presence patrols” in local villages to increase the populace’s familiarity with border patrol forces.
“The people are very happy when we walk through the villages,” said ANP First Sergeant Hijrat Ulla. “And we are very happy to be serving our country.”
Naqeebullah said it’s not hard to motivate his men.
“I tell them they are the sons of Afghanistan and they have to work to make their country a better place,” he said. “Then they can look toward the future. We have 60 to 70 percent peace in Afghanistan now, and if we try we can have 100 percent peace.”
The commander believes education is a key to rebuilding his country. “If you are uneducated you can’t solve problems on your own,” he said.
But while many of his policemen have little to no formal education, what they lack in schooling, they make up for in desire, Naqeebullah said.
ANP Pvt. Alladad is a perfect example of the policeman who learns quickly. “I’m not educated but I want to serve my country,” Alladad said of why he chose to serve in the ANP. “I like the training very much and I want to learn more – I have a desire to learn.”
Naqeebullah said he thinks it will take several years to completely rebuild the country and he disagrees with anyone who says the process is too slow or too difficult.
“Just look at where Afghanistan was five years ago and where we have come so far,” he said. “It will take time and it will take the efforts of all our friends.”
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