Efforts to build a credible and trustworthy Afghan national police are hampered by incompetence, Taliban infiltration and other related challenges, the New York Times reports. Afghan, American and NATO officials in charge of training efforts report that at least one of every five new recruits test positive for drugs, while fewer than one in 10 are literate.
Poor pay and lack of equipment also drive almost a fourth of officers to quit every year, NYT added. The Afghan National Police records the highest number of deaths of all troops fighting the Taliban.
Get development's most important headlines in your inbox every day.
Thanks for subscribing!
“It’s better to join the Taliban; they pay more money,” said Brig. Gen. Carmelo Burgio, the NATO general overseeing training of the police force.
