Afghanistan: Women of the New Army

From the Telegraph:

For the first time since the dark days of the Taliban, 29 women have been recruited to serve in the Afghan army.

Once qualified, they will work in combat support units alongside male soldiers. Although many of the women hope, eventually, to be deployed on the front line, their initial roles will be office-based. They will be assigned key duties in the running of military bases, particulary relation to equipment procurement and supply.

Although women have served in the Afghan army in the past this is the first time that officer training has been available to them – part of a plan to make the number of female soldiers 10 per cent of the total.