205th Corps

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205th Corps
ANA 205 Corps SSI.svg
Emblem of the 205th Corps
Active19 September 2004
[1] –August 2021 [2]
Country Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Branch Afghan National Army
Type Corps
HeadquartersCamp Shirzai, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan [3]
NicknameAtal (Hero) [3]
Engagements War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Commanders
Last commanderGeneral Shafiqullah Rasulzai [4]
Notable
commanders		 Gul Aqa Nahib
Rahmatullah Raufi
Insignia
Corps Flag ANA 205 Corps Flag.svg
Soldiers of the 205th Corps in Zabul Province. Afghan soldiers in Zabul in 2011.jpg
Soldiers of the 205th Corps in Zabul Province.
General Zazai, commander of the 205th corps in 2009 Shir Mohammad Zazai in 2009.jpg
General Zazai, commander of the 205th corps in 2009

The 205th 'Atul' (Hero) Corps is a corps-level formation of the Islamic National Army. [5] [6] Its headquarters is located in Kandahar and it was responsible for the south of the country (Kandahar, Zabul, Oruzgan, Helmand and Nimruz provinces), partnered with the ISAF's Regional Command South. [7]

Contents

The Corps consisted of four brigades, a commando battalion and three garrisons. [8] The Corps had integrated artillery and air lift capacity. [9]

General Shafiqullah Rasulzai was appointed as the commander of the Corps in late November/December 2020. He was also the last commander of the Corps when it was still part of the Afghan national army. [4] In August 2021, the Corps was defeated during the Taliban offensive and in Battle of Kandahar. [2]

However in February of 2025, during border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which had intensified in December of 2024, the Taliban deployed the 205th Corps of Kandahar to Helmand province in order to fortify positions near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in response to clashes between the Pakistani Frontier Corps and Afghan Taliban border guards, thereby confirming the unit's continued existence. [10]

History

Previous Afghan Army formations in the south of Afghanistan, more specifically in Kandahar, were the 2nd Army Corps established under the Kingdom of Afghanistan and lasting until the collapse of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. [11] The 2nd Army Corps additionally had their own Afghan Spetsnaz battalion, known as the 212th Special Reconnaissance Battalion, in 1980. [12]

The establishment of the corps started when the first commander, Gul Aqa Nahib, and some of his staff were appointed on 1 September 2004. [13] The corps was officially established in Kandahar on 19 September 2004. [1]

Since August 2008, the Corps moved over 90,000 tonnes of supplies using Mi-17 helicopters of the Afghan Air Force. Three of the 205th Corps' four infantry brigades were assessed as capable of conducting independent operations with minimal support from their combat advisors. "One of the brigades recently planned, executed and sustained themselves during a seven-day operation where they drove deep into what is called an enemy sanctuary or enemy safe haven to destroy identified enemy forces," a U.S. advisor said in December 2008. "They were successful leading the operation, with less than 30 mentors and 20 other coalition soldiers, in addition to their 300 ANA ground force," he said. "That was a great example of ANA’s capability to lead and conduct their own operations." [9]

The Corps' 3rd Brigade was heavily involved in fighting the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Helmand province, alongside British troops deployed as part of Operation Herrick.

The Corps began formation with Kalashnikov rifles and miscellaneous civilian vehicles, but under coalition tutelage was reequipped with Western equipment. [14]

The Corps also supported an ANA regional hospital located in Kandahar, adjacent to Kandahar Airfield, dedicated to the security forces. It was a $5 million medical facility that also serves a trauma center.

2021 Taliban offensive

In August 2021, the corps was destroyed during the Taliban offensive and in Battle of Kandahar. [2] Since then, the corps have been reportedly reactivated and reformed into the 205th Al Badr Corps as part of the Taliban’s Islamic National Army. [15]

Provisional order of battle

Treatment area inside the Army regional hospital Treatment area inside the ANA regional hospital in Kandahar.jpg
Treatment area inside the Army regional hospital

Each brigade had three infantry battalions, a combat support battalion, some with D-30 howitzers, and a combat service support battalion.

References

  1. 1 2 "Defense Department News". defense.gov.
  2. 1 2 3 "Taliban encircling Afghan capital Kabul, prepping final assault through east | FDD's Long War Journal". longwarjournal.org. 14 August 2021.
  3. 1 2 Radin, CJ. "Afghan National Security Forces Order of Battle" (PDF). Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  4. 1 2 Clark, Kate (21 August 2021). "The Taleban's rise to power: As the US prepared for peace, the Taleban prepared for war". Afghanistan Analysts Network – English (in Pashto).
  5. ↑ The translation of Atul is 'Hero'
  6. ↑ "Taliban-Pakistan Border Tensions Escalate As Group Orders Evacuation Of Residents". www.afintl.com. 5 February 2025. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  7. ↑ Phoenix Legacy Vol 1 Issue 2, Task Force Phoenix, 31 January 2009
  8. ↑ Northshorejournal.org, Status Report from the Afghan South [ usurped ], December 2008
  9. 1 2 RCAC Commander Updates Bloggers, accessed August 2009
  10. ↑ "Taliban-Pakistan Border Tensions Escalate As Group Orders Evacuation Of Residents". www.afintl.com. 5 February 2025. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  11. ↑ Azimi, General Nabi (11 April 2019). The Army and Politics: Afghanistan: 1963-1993. AuthorHouse. ISBN   978-1-7283-8701-7.
  12. ↑ Urban, Mark (1990). War in Afghanistan. doi:10.1007/978-1-349-20761-9. ISBN   978-0-333-51478-8.
  13. ↑ Jane's World Armies
  14. ↑ "Army Times: National Army swaps AK47s for M16s, pickups for Humvees". Afghan Regional Security Integration Command- South. 11 October 2008. Retrieved 24 March 2009.
  15. ↑ "Interim Taliban government rebrands Afghan army". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
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