Afghan Border Force

Afghan Border Force
ActiveDecember 2017 – August 2021
Country Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Branch Afghan National Army
TypeBorder guard
RoleCounterinsurgency
EngagementsWar in Afghanistan


The Afghan Border Force (ABF) was a paramilitary police responsible for counterinsurgency and security of Afghanistan's border area with neighboring countries extending up to 30 miles (48 km) into the interior and formed part of the Afghan National Army. In December 2017, most of the Afghan Border Police (ABP) personnel of the Afghan National Police were transferred to the Afghan National Army to form the Afghan Border Force. The ABP retained 4,000 personnel for customs operations at border crossings and international airports such as checking documents of foreigners entering the country or deporting them.

The ABF's, and its predecessor the ABP, anti-narcotic efforts were a prominent concern to the international community during the War in Afghanistan. The ABF, and the ABP in its former role, patrolled a 50 km-wide corridor along the entirety of Afghanistan's 5,529 kilometres (3,436 mi) border, particularly the long and porous Durand Line border in the southeast with neighboring Pakistan.