Nearly 500 youth commissioned to Afghan national army

KABUL, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 500 Afghan youth have been commissioned to the national army of post-war Afghanistan after a four-month military training, the state-run Bakhtar news agency reported Saturday.

All 486 graduates received their certificates at a graduation ceremony held in a military compound and vowed to serve the country under any circumstances, the state-owned media outlet added.

This is the second batch of Afghan youngsters who have joined Afghanistan's national army during the past one week.

After taking over power in August 2021, the Afghan interim government initially planned to form an army with 150,000 strengths, but later announced to increase the national army's strength to 170,000 and gradually to 200,000-strong forces, based on the situation. ■