British Army seeks to recruit more Muslims

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Sunday 08 Feb 2015 - 14:25 Makkah mean time-19-4-1436 British Army seeks to recruit more Muslim troops London, (IINA) - The British army is exploring ways to recruit more Muslims as the latest figures reveal they make up less than one percent of the total, News agencies reported. Figures released by the Ministry of Defence revealed that there are only 480 Muslims serving in the Army. That is only 0.54% of the total regular force of 88,500. Moreover, not all of those Muslims are British as some joined from Commonwealth countries. General Sir Nicholas Carter, who took up the role of Chief of the General Staff last year, said that ethic minority representation in the military is "nowhere near where it needs to be". "We have to do more, my highest priority is ensuring we continue to have the best possible talent throughout our Army," he said. The army has been trying to engage with communities in places such as Bradford and Burnley, where Muslims account for about 25%. One of the most senior Muslims in the army, Imam Asim Hafiz, who is also the Islamic adviser to the chief of staff, said diversity was one of the UK’s strengths and this enhanced the military’s cultural understanding and helped them when deployed. “In my view, the values of the armed forces are fully compatible with the values of Islam as well as other faiths,” he said. SM/IINA