Afghanistan's Security Forces Facing A Shortage In Winter Clothing

Afghan security forces arrive at the Kunduz airport, April 30, 2015. REUTERS/OMAR SOBHANI

Reuters: Afghan police may face shortage of winter clothing: U.S. watchdog

Afghanistan forces could face a shortage of more than 90,000 coats this winter, which may affect its ability to fight the Taliban, a U.S. government watchdog said.

In a letter to the Pentagon dated Sept. 16, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John Sopko said the shortage could extend into next year.

See the full letter here

Sopko wrote that the U.S.-led Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A), which is responsible for training Afghan forces, had ordered more than 75,000 coats for Afghan police for delivery by July 2015, but they still had not been delivered.

Another 15,000 coats were not scheduled to be delivered until July 2016, it said.

Update: Afghan security forces don’t have enough cold-weather clothing: report -- Washington Times

WNU Editor: Apparently many of these coats are only going to be delivered in March, 2017 (when the next winter is over).