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Afghan Special Force members take part in their graduation ceremony in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Feb. 22, 2018. About 350 police officers graduated from a key training center in the Afghan capital and would join the country's security forces, said the country's Interior Ministry on Thursday. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah)

KABUL, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- About 350 police officers graduated from a key training center in the Afghan capital and would join the country's security forces, said the country's Interior Ministry on Thursday.

A total of 349 police officers celebrated Thursday their graduation at an Afghan National Police (ANP) training center and the graduates would join the Special Operations Forces, the ministry said in a statement.

The graduates received a six-month training and as professional military officers, would help their countrymen to live in a secure and peaceful environment, it noted.

Since Jan. 1, 2015, Afghan security forces have assumed the full security charge from NATO and U.S. forces, but around 16,000 foreign troops still remained in Afghanistan to train and assist local security forces in their fight against the insurgents.

The country has been hit by a series of deadly Taliban and Islamic State-claimed terror attacks since beginning this year, which left scores of security forces and civilians dead and injured.