Taliban Turns Insurgents Into Commandos As It Builds 'Fully Capable' Army
Taliban leaders are working on turning their insurgent forces into a modern, standing army equipped with U.S.-made military gear that was seized during their takeover of Afghanistan in August. About 150 Taliban fighters recently graduated from commando training in Khost Province. With the exception of advanced aircraft, the Taliban has shown it can operate and maintain a lot of its new military hardware. A new Taliban army could eventually pose a challenge to Afghanistan's neighbors.