Switch to offensive posture, president orders spy service

KABUL (Pajhwok): President Ashraf Ghani has ordered the National Directorate of Security (NDS) persoel out of the defensive mode, calling for aggressive action against insurgents, his office said on Thursday.

Ghani issued the directives at a meeting with NDS officers from Badakhshan, Nimroz, Faryab, Daikundi, Nuristan, Takhar, Farah, Herat, Kunduz, Ghazni and Paktika provinceson Wednesday evening.

He said intelligence agents, who were alwaysin the frontlineof defence, better knew the enemy.The country’s stability was linked to security in border areas, where the NDS had to play a key role, the president added.

The spy network had focus on collecting accurate information based on realities, because the National Security Council’s decisions were based on that data, Ghani continued.

“It’s the duty of parents to send children for the defence of the country and I perform my duty on the basis of your information,” he said, adding the NDS information was more valuable than gold because it was central to the safety of people.

“Our war is a struggle for justice; we are fighting against injustice and for the stability of our country and region and country,” the president remarked.

While referring to the sacrifices and bravery of Afghan security and defence persoel, he said the world had been discussing cooperation with Afghanistan for another five years because of good role being played by the security forces.

“Strike fear and uncertainty in the heart of the enemy, switch to an offensive posture and launch operations against them. This year we have an organised air force that will act courageously in case of need. They have the capacity, will and experience.”

myn/mud