(15 Feb 2013) SHOTLIST
1. Wide of Afghan Special Forces members and tanks at a military camp
2. Various of female member, of the joint Special Unit of the Afghan National Army, standing guard during training
3. Male member of the Afghan special forces shooting gun
4. Various of special forces training how to search a woman during an operation
5. SOUNDBITE (Dari) Lena Abdali, female member of the joint Special Unit of the Afghan National Army
"The working ethos which exists in men, I think women have the same working ability as well, but only if they use this ability and show resistance and courage to work shoulder to shoulder with their brothers. I think it is not a difficult job, and women should not be scared of joining the army."
6. Various of female soldiers talking to women and children during training session
7. SOUNDBITE (Dari) Colonel Jalaluddin Yaftaly, Commander of the joint Special Unit of the Afghan National Army:
"When we finish our clearing duties in our night operations, then they (female soldiers) go out there to search for the women and children, so children are not terrified. The female soldiers are playing a vital role in the special forces unit."
8. Various of special forces soldiers entering a house during a training session
9. SOUNDBITE (Dari) Agha Sharin Noori, Afghan special force soldier:
"We need our sisters as much as we need our brothers to join the army, police or the Special Forces according to their interest and that will help us a lot."
10. Wide of Afghan Special Forces soldiers walking
11. Close of a female soldier
STORYLINE:
The Afghan army is training female special forces members to take part in night raids against insurgents as foreign combat troops take a back seat ahead of their eventual departure at the end of 2014.
In a country where women traditionally are expected to stay home, women are signing up for the special forces.
The trend is ground breaking in the ultra-conservative Afghanistan.
"The working ethos which exists in men, I think women have the same working ability as well," says Lena Abdali, a 23-year-old Afghan soldier, who was one of the first women to join the one of the special units last year.
Night raids have long been a divisive issue between Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who doesn't want foreign troops entering Afghan homes, and the US-led coalition that says the raids are essential to capturing Taliban commanders.
Many Afghans, however, have complained that the house raids are culturally offensive.
Having male troops search Afghan females is taboo.
So is touching a family's Quran, the Muslim holy book, or entering a home without being invited.
Another focus of anger has been the disregard for privacy and Afghan culture because women and children are usually home during the raids.
The raids now are conducted jointly by US and Afghan forces, but the female Afghan special forces soldiers play an important role.
Their job is to evacuate the women and children and get them to safety while guarding against the potential dangers of female suicide bombers or militants disguised in women's clothes.
The missions have taken on increasing importance and the Afghan government and the US-led coalition have stepped up training of the Afghan special forces as international troops prepare to end their combat mission in 23 months.
"The female soldiers are playing a vital role in the special forces unit," said Colonel Jalaluddin Yaftaly, Commander of the joint Special Unit of the Afghan National Army.
He did not spell out what U.S. military presence would remain after 2014.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Ещё видео!