Afghan militia training OK, says ex major

The training of Afghan militiamen on Australian soil may not be a terrible thing, a retired senior army official says.

Last week, six soldiers under the control of Afghan warlord Matiullah Khan visited Australia to train with some of defence's elite soldiers, Fairfax reported on Friday.

Jim Molan, a retired major general, said war requires a practical approach and it may not be anything to worry too greatly about.

"You have got to have a very practical approach to these things and I think that's what we're showing," Mr Molan told ABC Radio on Friday.

Mr Molan argued training the militiamen may benefit the NATO forces in the central Asian war zone. "It's not confirmed that they're worse than the Taliban.

"If you can do a greater good then, I think, morally you've got to take a risk."