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[[File:Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier with PSL rifle.JPG|thumb|An ANA soldier of the 201st Corps using a [[PSL (rifle)|PSL]] rifle]]
The ANA was plagued by poor cohesion, illiteracy, corruption and abuse. A quarter of ANA troops were reported to have deserted in 2009 with many troops hiding in the heat of battle rather than engaging the enemy.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2009/12/09/US-trainers-bemoan-Afghan-corruption/UPI-51821260383357/ |title=US trainers bemoan Afghan corruption |publisher=UPI.com |date=9 December 2009 |access-date=9 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091220033840/http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2009/12/09/US-trainers-bemoan-Afghan-corruption/UPI-51821260383357/ |archive-date=20 December 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ipsnews.net/2009/11/politics-afghan-army-turnover-rate-threatens-us-war-plans/ |title=POLITICS: Afghan Army Turnover Rate Threatens US War Plans |date=24 November 2009 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20171011103934/http://www.ipsnews.net/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 October 2017 |access-date=28 December 2009 }}</ref> It was reported that approximately 90% of ANA troops were illiterate and there were widespread instances of corruption with the ANA manpower consisting a high percentage of [[Ghost soldiers|ghost battalions]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34290420 |title=US surge is big, Afghan army is crucial |agency=Associated Press |publisher=MSNBC |date=5 December 2009 |access-date=9 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091212151323/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34290420/ |archive-date=12 December 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2009/09/ap_afghan_army_illiteracy_091409/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120721223757/http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2009/09/ap_afghan_army_illiteracy_091409/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 July 2012 |title=Illiteracy undermines Afghan army |work=Air Force Times |date=14 September 2009 |access-date=9 February 2010 }}</ref> Another significant problem for the ANA was a high level of [[drug abuse]] amongst its soldiers. The Special Investigator General for Afghan Reconstruction reported the number of ANA soldiers using drugs was "at least 50 percent" and might have been as high as 75 percent, according to some reports.<ref>"Drug problem adding to challenge in Afghanistan," Chicago Tribune, 31 January 2012.</ref>
Many officers held loyalties with particular political factions. The endemic corruption of those officers eroded the army's morale.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Tollast |first1=Robert |title=How Afghanistan's Army was pulled apart by corruption and backroom deals |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/asia/2021/08/16/afghan-armys-collapse-was-years-in-the-making-say-experts/ |access-date=21 August 2021 |work=The National News}}</ref>
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Soon, all the regional forces of the ANA had dissolved, with the exception of the [[201st Corps (Afghanistan)|201st Corps]] and the [[111th Capital Division]], both of which were headquartered in Kabul, which had been surrounded by the Taliban. On 15 August 2021, the Taliban entered the outskirts of Kabul from multiple directions, beginning the [[Fall of Kabul (2021)|fall of Kabul]]. On the same day, President [[Ashraf Ghani]] fled the country to [[Dubai]].<ref>{{Cite web |author1=Natasha Turak |author2=Amanda Macias |author3=Emma Graham|title=Ousted Afghan President Ashraf Ghani resurfaces in UAE after fleeing Kabul, Emirati government says|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/18/afghan-president-ashraf-ghani-is-in-uae-after-fleeing-afghanistan.html|website=cnbc.com|date=18 August 2021|access-date=18 August 2021}}</ref> It was reported that ANA soldiers were fleeing to neighbouring countries in droves, some on foot and others onboard [[Afghan Air Force]] aircraft. At 8:55 pm local time, Taliban forces seized the [[Arg (Kabul)|Arg]] and raised their flag, soon afterwards declaring the restoration of the [[Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan]].
Following the fall of Kabul, the remaining forces of the ANA either deserted their posts or surrendered to the Taliban.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Sanger|first1=David E.|last2=Cooper|first2=Helene|date=2021-08-14|title=Taliban Sweep in Afghanistan Follows Years of U.S. Miscalculations|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/14/us/afghanistan-biden.html|access-date=|issn=0362-4331}}; {{Cite web|url=https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/how-afghan-army-collapsed-under-talibans-pressure|title=How the Afghan Army Collapsed Under the Taliban's Pressure|website=Council on Foreign Relations}}</ref> Some remnants of the ANA regrouped in the [[Panjshir Valley]], where they joined the anti-Taliban [[National Resistance Front of Afghanistan]].<ref name="hindustantimes.com" /> Around 500–600 remaining Afghan troops, made up mostly of [[Afghan National Army Commando Corps|Afghan Commandos]], were reported to have refused to surrender to the Taliban in Kabul, and instead joined up with US forces in at [[Kabul International Airport]], helping them secure the outer perimeter of the airport during the [[2021
Since the Taliban took control, there has been more than 200 former Afghan security forces who either disappeared, or were extrajudicially executed.<ref name="Hassan2021">{{Cite news |title=Dozens of Former Afghan Security Forces Dead or Missing Under Taliban, Report Says |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/30/world/asia/taliban-revenge-killings-afghanistan.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur |last=Hassan |first=Sharif |date=30 November 2021 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=4 December 2021}}</ref> These figures only cover four provinces, meaning the real number of former Afghan security forces disappearing or being executed may be much higher.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gul |first1=Ayaz |title=UN Accuses Taliban of Killing 200 Ex-Afghan Officials, Security Personnel |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/un-says-over-200-former-afghan-military-officials-killed-since-taliban-takeover/7234984.html |website=Voice of America |access-date=6 February 2024 |date=22 August 2023}}</ref> Taliban soldiers have hunted down former Afghan security forces in the aftermath of the withdrawal.
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