More than 170 fresh graduates join police in eastern Afghan province

KABUL, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- A total of 172 Afghan policemen had graduated from a provincial police training center in eastern Paktika province, the country's Interior Ministry said on Monday.

"Those among the graduates were 27 police officers and 145 policemen and they were commissioned to the Afghan National Police (ANP) after two-month intensive training period," the ministry said in a statement.

The fresh graduates will be deployed to surrounding areas of the province, 155 km south of national capital of Kabul, according to the statement.

The Afghan security forces remain in control of most of Afghanistan's population centers and all of 34 provincial capitals, but Taliban insurgents hold large portions of rural areas.