Table of Contents
Origins and Early History
The military history of Afghanistan began before 1709 when the Hotaki dynasty was established in Kandahar followed by the Durrani Empire. The Afghan military was re-organized with assistance from the British in 1880, when the country was ruled by Amir Abdur Rahman Khan.
Early 20th Century and Soviet Aid
The Afghan military was modernized during King Amanullah Khan's rule in the early 20th century, and then during King Zahir Shah's forty-year rule. After the Third Anglo-Afghan War ended, the Afghan Armed Forces were expanded during King Zahir Shah's reign, reaching a strength of 70,000 in 1933. The Soviet Union supplied almost all weapons, training, and military needs between the 1950s and 1970s.
Later 20th Century and Soviet Invasion
From 1978 to 1992, the Soviet-backed Afghan Armed Forces engaged in heavy fighting with the multi-national mujahideen groups who were then backed by the United States, Pakistan, and others. This led to a full-scale Soviet invasion in December 1979. Throughout the 1980s, the Afghan Armed Forces was heavily involved in fighting against these groups. The rebel groups were fighting to force the Soviet Union to withdraw from Afghanistan as well as to remove the Soviet-backed government of President Mohammad Najibullah.
Post-Soviet Era and the Rise of the Taliban
Following the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, the Afghan military dissolved into portions controlled by different factions. This era was followed by the Taliban regime, whose leaders were trained and influenced by the Pakistan Armed Forces. Weapons supplies were made available to the mujahideen rebel groups through numerous countries, including the United States, Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Britain, Switzerland, and China.
21st Century Developments
After the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001 and the formation of the Afghan Interim Administration, new military units were created. They were trained by NATO-member states, primarily by the United States. The Afghan Armed Forces operated independently but received some air support from the U.S. Air Force. As a major non-NATO ally, Afghanistan continued to receive billions of dollars in military assistance from the United States up until mid-2021. With the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Islamic Republic Armed Forces were effectively dissolved, with the former insurgents becoming the country's new military.
