TEHRAN, YJC.-- Afghan Defense Ministry has dismissed a report by British Ministry of Defense that claimed some 5,000 Afghan troops escape their duty every month.
Afghan Defense Ministry said the British
ministry’s statistics about Afghan soldiers leaving their uniforms are
inaccurate, stressing the local Afghan army maintains the adequate
number of troops to tackle the security.
"The report is accurate in principle; however its figures and
terminologies are not accurate. Escapees are the ones who escape from
the battlefield or surrender to the enemy,” said an Afghan Defense
Ministry spokesman.
"But, if a soldier returns to duty from his (approved) leave after
some days of delay due to security or family reasons, it can be called
over leave, not quitting,” the spokesman added.
The scenario followed a comment by the top British commander in
Afghanistan Lieutenant-General Nick Carter that claimed a withdrawal of
British forces from Afghanistan this summer will be "unforgivable” and
will "damage Afghan confidence”.
Britain currently deploys some 8,000 troops in Afghanistan and plans
to pull out 5,200 of them from the Asian country until the end of the
year.