Gen. Karimi all praise for new army graduates

KABUL (Pajhwok): Expressing satisfaction over a graduation ceremony for newly trained Afghan National Army (ANA) officers, the chief of army staff said on Thursday the graduates would help overcome the personnel shortage problem.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Kabul, Gen. Sher Mohammad Karimi said the Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim Military Academy (MMQFMA) was one of the leading military training centres.

Stressing the need for professionalism among ANA staffers, Karimi told the 256 graduates to serve the nation with zeal and patriotism. He said the current strength of ANA would help resolve the officers’ shortage issue while the next graduation ceremony would completely end the crisis.

Maj. Gen. Sharif Sharifi, head of the academy, said so far three batches, including one of women, had been graduated from the university. He said the Qasim Fahim Defence University had the capacity of 1,200 students.

An official of the academy Maj. Gen. Shah Bahnam said ANA officers were prepared to face all challenges and defend the motherland. He stressed on graduates to understand the nefarious designs of the enemy and leave no stone unturned to defend the nation and country.

Present on the occasion, Australian Ambassador Matthew Anderson reassured his country’s complete support to the armed forces of Afghanistan.

He said Afghan security forces took charge of security responsibility in tough time but his country and international community would continue supporting the nascent force.  

The MMQFMA was established in 2013 with the support of United Kingdom. As many as 250 ANA officers had been graduated in its first batch and they had joined the country’s armed forces.

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