Mon, Jun 05, 2006
Will Fly Missions Against Drug Trafficking, Terrorism
A group of Afghan
soldiers recently wrapped up their pilot training in Texas, and
will soon be flying helicopters in support of anti-drug efforts in
their home country.
In a graduation ceremony held Friday at Fort Bliss, a spokesman
for the Afghan embassy in Washington called the 16 soldiers -- who
will soon be flying unarmed Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters (right)
on a variety missions aimed at stemming their country's rampant
opium trafficking operations -- "Afghanistan's heroes"
"Thirty years of war left the country in ruins and fueled the
drug trade," said Ashraf Haidari. "Your graduation is a testament
to the long-term commitment of the United States to
Afghanistan."
Haidari added the soldiers will also help US-led coalition
forces fight terrorist operations in Afghanistan.
The Associated Press reports the soldiers are the first of three
classes of helicopter pilots and support personnel to be trained at
Fort Bliss. Graduates of the program will work with the Afghan
National Interdiction Unit and the US Drug Enforcement
Administration.
Two Afghan Army Air Corps soldiers -- who asked to be identified
by their first names only, for security reasons -- told the AP he
was proud to take up the dangerous challenge of combating drug
trafficking -- a major source of funding for terrorist cells.
"Because we went through a lot of hard times we want our
children to grow up in a safe world," said Shirzia through an
interpreter. "We want our kids to respect humanity."
"It's a responsibility of the people of any country," added
another soldier, named Naseer.
In addition to the flight training they received, the sixteen
men also learned how to operate advanced technology equipment such
as night-vision systems.
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