205th Corps



The 205th 'Atul' (Hero) Corps is a corps-level formation of the Afghan National Army since 2004. The establishment of the corps started when the first commander, Gul Aqa Nahib, and some of his staff were appointed on 1 September 2004. The corps was officially established in Kandahar on 19 September 2004. Its headquarters are in Kandahar and it is responsible for the south of the country (Kandahar, Zabul, Oruzgan, Helmand and Nimruz provinces), partnered with the ISAF's Regional Command South. The Corps is now led by Brigadier General Abdul Hamid (former commander of 4th Brigade in Oruzgan) who replaced General Sher Mohammad Zazai, after a period with Rahmatullah Raufi in command.

The Corps consists of four brigades, a commando battalion and three garrisons. The Corps has integrated artillery and air lift capacity. Since August 2008, the Corps has moved over 90,000 tonnes of supplies using Mi-17 helicopters of the Afghan National Army Air Corps. 'Three of the 205th Corps’ four infantry brigades have been assessed as capable of conducting independent operations with minimal support from their combat advisors. "One of the brigades recently planned, executed and sustained themselves during a seven-day operation where they drove deep into what is called an enemy sanctuary or enemy safe haven to destroy identified enemy forces," a U.S. advisor said in December 2008. "They were successful leading the operation, with less than 30 mentors and 20 other coalition soldiers, in addition to their 300 ANA ground force," he said. "That was a great example of ANA’s capability to lead and conduct their own operations."

The Corps' 3rd Brigade has been heavily involved in fighting the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Helmand province, alongside British troops deployed as part of Operation Herrick.

The Corps began formation with AK-47s and miscellaneous civilian vehicles, but under coalition tutelage has been reequipped with Western equipment.

The Corps also supports an ANA regional hospital located in Kandahar, adjacent to Kandahar Airfield, dedicated to the security forces. It is a $5 million medical facility that also serves a trauma center.

Provisional order of battle

 * Headquarters, Camp Hero, Kandahar
 * Commando Battalion
 * Regional logistics depot
 * 1st Brigade, Camp Hero, Kandahar
 * 2nd Brigade, Qalat, Zabul
 * 3rd Brigade, FOB Pasab, Zharay, Brigadier General Murtaza
 * 4th Brigade, Camp Holland, Tarin Khowt, Oruzgan, Brigadier General Zafar Khan(redesignated brigade of another corps which had been transferred into 205 Corps' Area of responsibility.)

Each brigade has three infantry battalions, a combat support battalion, some with D-30 howitzers, and a combat service support battalion.