Afghan and Pakistani local forces

There has been a tradition, in Afghanistan and Pakistan, of tribal militias, raised by a local warlord in response to a specific need. During the Afghanistan War (1978-1992), this was a common way for the Taliban to raise infantry for local combat; it was a Pashtun tradition called lashkar or Afghan tribal militias; they are paid only by the local authority if at all. Specialists, who gained skills under the Communists such as tank and aircraft crews, wer emore mercenaries. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, they have been called akarbai. On the pro-communist side, President Najibullah used local militias against the Taliban between 1989 and 1992. As has been the case in a number of wars, not in Afghanistan alone, they were undisciplined, prone to switch sides, and could be corrupt and brutal.

Again in other wars, there have been more successful experiences, but usually with professional leadership, such as the Firqa irregulars in Iran in the 1970s, or an assortment of groups in South Vietnam, usually led by United States Army Special Forces. More recently, it has worked with Sunni local fighters in al-Anbar Province of Iraq

There has not been much success with stable militia in Afghanistan. One prerequisite appears to be a strong tribal structure, coupled with a homogeneous population, so there are no inter-tribal fights, It was first attempted in eastern Afghanistan, where government has always been weak.

Eastern Afghanistan
Even though arbakai of the area were incorporated into the Afghan National Auxiliary Police, a central government police reserve, they still consider "Ahmadzai arbakai". The Ahmadzai arbakai are Pashtuns in Gardez. According to a local elder, "Each sub-tribe takes its turn to be arbakai and they serve 10 days at a time... The arbakai only works in the area of its own tribe. The tribe will discipline them if they do anything wrong to the people....They recognise the local people. That is why they are better than the national police or the army."

Southern Afghanistan
Britain, in particular, is exploring the use of village defence forces in southern Helmand Province. Speaking to the British parliament on 12 December, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told the British Parliament said that Britain advocated a shift in strategy that would favour "hard-headed realism" and work "with the grain of Afghan tradition". "One way forward is to increase our support for community defence initiatives, where local volunteers are recruited to defend homes and families modelled on traditional Afghan arbakai," he said.

Speaking to the British parliament on 12 December, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told the British Parliament said that Britain advocated a shift in strategy that would favour "hard-headed realism" and work "with the grain of Afghan tradition". "One way forward is to increase our support for community defence initiatives, where local volunteers are recruited to defend homes and families modelled on traditional Afghan 'arbakai'," he said.

The Helmand police chief Gen Mohammad Hussein Andiwal, in southern Afghanistan, disapproves. "I am speaking for myself, not my government here - but as far as Afghanistan is concerned in three decades of war there is not any example of a militia having done anything for the benefit of Afghanistan," said Helmand Police Chief,.

"If you use the name of militia or of arbakai, people will be shocked. They had a very bad reputation and just look after the interests of their own tribe. The British have not contacted me on this issue, but I will always tell them to focus on the national police, not militias."