National Directorate of Security

National Directorate of Security
Pashto: د ملي امنیت لوی ریاست
Dari: ریاست عمومی امنیت ملی
Seal of the National Directorate of Security
Agency overview
Formed2002; 22 years ago (2002)
Preceding agency
Dissolved2021
Superseding agency
HeadquartersKabul, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
EmployeesClassified, estimated to have 15,000 to 30,000 agents.[1]
Annual budgetClassified
Agency executive
WebsiteOfficial twitter

The National Directorate of Security (NDS; Pashto: د ملي امنیت لوی ریاست; Dari: ریاست عمومی امنیت ملی) was the national intelligence and security service of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.[3] The headquarters of the NDS was in Kabul, and it had field offices and training facilities in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan.[4] The NDS was part of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).[5][6]

The NDS was mandated to investigate cases and incidents that affect Afghan national security and to fight terrorism.[7] According to the Law on Crimes against Internal and External Security of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, the agency was tasked to investigate cases involving "national treason, espionage, terrorism, sabotage, propaganda against the Government, war propaganda, assisting enemy forces, and organised activity against internal and external security".[8]

As the primary intelligence organ of Afghanistan, the NDS shared information about regional terrorism and major crimes with the Afghan ministries and provincial governors.[9]

Its activities were regulated according to the National Security Law.[7] The agency was dissolved in 2021 after the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021).

  1. ^ European Asylum Support Office (August 2020). Afghanistan - State Structure and Security Forces - Country of Origin Information Report. Publications Office of the European Union. p. 36. ISBN 9789294856500. Retrieved 29 August 2021.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Khaama-2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Afghanistan". INTERPOL. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Who is who in Afghanistan?". www.afghan-bios.info. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  5. ^ "Developing Afghan security forces". North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 3 December 2012. Archived from the original on 5 March 2013.
  6. ^ "Afghanistan (2017)". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 24 April 2018. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018.
  7. ^ a b UNAMA&OHCHR 2011, p. 14.
  8. ^ United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan; UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (October 2011). Treatment of Conflict-Related Detainees in Afghan Custody (PDF). United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (Report). Kabul. pp. 14–15. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference BBC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).