BBC News | SOUTH ASIA | Picture gallery: New Afghan army

BBC News Online: World: South Asia

Saturday, 2 March, 2002, 14:43 GMT

Peacekeeping troops in Kabul have a new task: moulding local soldiers into a new Afghan National Guard.

Over six weeks, Nato instructors will give 600 men lessons in everything from crowd control to clearing mines and applying first aid.

Skills such as how to take prisoners may be nothing new to some of the trainees

Skills such as rifelry may also seem unnecessary for men brought up in a gun culture

But there are other vital courses on offer, such as clearing mines

And these troops are learning the basics of policing riots

With British soldiers doing the training, there has to be some of parade ground drill, too

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