| Khost Protection Force | |
|---|---|
| Active | 2002-2021 |
| Country |  Islamic Republic of Afghanistan |
| Allegiance | Khalq |
| Type | Paramilitary |
| Role | Counterinsurgency Special operations |
| Size | 3,500 to 10,000 soldiers[1][2] |
| Mascot | Tiger |
| Engagements | War in Afghanistan |
TheKhost Protection Force (KPF), formally known as the25th Division by the (Afghan) Ministry of Defence[2] was an Afghanparamilitary. It was the oldest of a number ofCIA-backed paramilitaries formed following theUnited States invasion of Afghanistan, in collaboration with theNational Directorate of Security (NDS), being under its command.[3]
Initially largely made up of formerPeople's Democratic Party members, the KPF was based atCamp Chapman inKhost Province and it also had battalions inGardez andSharana, operating in the region bordering Pakistan'sNorth Waziristan District.[4]
The KPF has been accused ofwar crimes including torture and killing civilians.[5]
After the fall of theTaliban in 2001, the presence of US forces in the province of Khost led to significant changes in the power dynamics of the region. As military units operated in the area, they sought alliances with like-minded individuals who shared their immediate goals. In a peculiar turn of events, the power vacuum created by theTaliban's defeat allowed former communists, who were once adversaries of the United States during the 1980s, to rise to power. These individuals, being staunchly anti-Taliban, became valuable allies to the US and Coalition partners in the region. This unexpected shift in power dynamics set the stage for the establishment of the Khost Protection Force (KPF), aparamilitary group that would play a significant role in the security landscape of Khost province.[6] When it was first established, it was first led by Gaffar Khan.[7]
In 2002, General Khailbaz, an exiledKhalq officer from Jaji Maidan, returned toKhost and established his own militia comprising former communist soldiers. It was integrated into what became known as the Khost Protection Force (KPF). Butt the unit faced criticism from other tribes for their perceived lack of accountability, arrogance upon returning to Khost City, harassment of former mujahedeen members, and allegations of ruthlessness and human rights abuses. Observers noted that while nominally subordinate to theNational Directorate of Security (NDS), the KPF operated autonomously from the Kabul government. In 2019, the United Nations reported that the organization operated outside of the legal government structure, and the widespread impunity enjoyed by its members remained a grave concern. The KPF received funding from theCentral Intelligence Agency until theFall of Kabul in August 2021.[8][9]
Like otherparamilitaries in Afghanistan during the 2001-2021 war, the KPF was mostly trained and recruited by the CIA despite nominally under NDS command;[10][11] it did not come under the command chain of theAfghan National Army or theU.S. Army.[12]
In November 2015, a growing number of deadlynight raids by the KPF caused a backlash by the residents in the city ofKhost against the United States.[5]
Following thefall of Kabul, the Taliban intensified their hunt to find and kill members of the KPF in October 2021.[13] The KPF disobeyed orders given to abandon their gear and vehicles and simply destroyed anything that they couldn't take with them.[14]
In January of 2022, it was reported that surviving KPF soldiers arrived in the US and were living in Bloomington; most of them were forced to leave their immediate families behind.[14] They came through the "Welcome Home Project".[15]
In May of 2024, it was reported that over seventy members had been detained by theGeneral Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) upon their return from training in theUnited States in 2022.[16]
In July of 2024, it was reported that an additional six members had returned to Afghanistan after being invited by the Afghanistan Personalities Contact Commission.[17] The children ofAbdul Hamid Mohtat and members of the KPF received "immunity cards".[18]
In October of 2024, it was reported that the KPF base was being used by theHaqqani Network to train two thousand foreignjihadists. The base is frequently visited bySirajuddin Haqqani.[19]
An American official speaking anonymously toldThe Washington Post in 2015 that the KPF “is one of the most effective elements fighting theTaliban in Afghanistan, and were it not for their constant efforts, Khost would likely be aHaqqani-held province, and Kabul would be under far greater threat than it is,”.[5] KPF soldiers provide assistance by tracking targets for drone strikes.[20]
Afghan soldiers and law enforcers do cooperate with the KPF in anti-Taliban operations for fear of getting into trouble with their superiors.[7]
The KPF operated with a country-wide informant network.[2]
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