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AFGHANISTAN DAILY DIGEST
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From: Ina Iankulova (iiankulova@sorosny.org)
Date: Wed Apr 09 2003 - 12:43:59 EDT
KARZAI CALLS FOR ARMY RECRUITS
Afghan Transitional Administration Chairman Karzai on 8 April called on young men to join the nascent national army in his twice-monthly state radio address, Reuters reported. Karzai said the government will speed up the process of training its new national army, which is to replace and disarm the regional militias. In addition, Karzai said the UN program funded by Great Britain, Japan, and Canada to "disarm, demobilize, and reintegrate 100,000 factional fighters" will be implemented in the next three months. He claimed that this is the "key to maintaining peace and stability." Afghanistan hopes to have an army of 70,000 by 2009, but the government has failed thus far to attract a sufficient number of recruits. Many men throughout the country remain loyal to the militias of regional leaders, and others are deterred by the low pay and poor living conditions available to army recruits. KM
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