Afghanistan- Ghani reshuffles security brass amid peace effort

(MENAFN- Afghanistan Times) By Farhad Naibkhel-KABUL: President Ashraf Ghani appointed new caretakers for the ministries of defense and interior on Sunday, a reshuffle deemed to be a turning point amid a strenuous peace effort.

According to a decree issued by the Presidential Palace, the Ex-Spymaster Assadullah Khaled was introduced as caretaker and nominee for the Ministry of Defense and former Intelligence Chief Amrullah Saleh as acting minister and nominee for Ministry of Interior.

In a statement issued by Presidential palace said that according to the decree of 13th section of 64th article of constitution Assadullah Khaled was assigned as acting minister for Defense Ministry. Statement said that based on decree of 11th section of 64th article of constitution Assadullah Khaled assignation as nominee of Defense Ministry approved.

According to the decree of 13th section of 64th article of constitution Amrullah Saleh was assigned as acting minister for Interior Ministry. Statement said that based on decree of 11th section of 64th article of constitution Amrullah Saleh assignation as nominee of Interior Ministry approved.

The Government's Minister in Parliamentarian Affairs is responsible to introduce the nominees to the parliament for taking vote of confidence.

Although the government did not elaborate the reason behind the replacement of Minister of Interior Wais Ahmad Barmak and Minister of Defense Tariq Shah Bahrami, but they were often criticized by Afghan people as well as parliamentarian over mismanagement and failure during duty and reinforcement of security nationwide.

Assadullah Khaled the nominee for Ministry of Defense is apolitician figureinAfghanistan. He served as head of theNational Directorate of Security(NDS), which is the domesticintelligence agencyof Afghanistan. Before his appointment as the head of the NDS in September 2012, Khalid served as theMinister of Tribal and Border Affairs. Between 2005 and 2008, he was theGovernor of Kandahar Provinceand prior to that asGovernor of Ghazni Province(2002-2005).

Mr. Khalid barely surviveda Taliban assassination attempt in 2012, when he was the Afghan intelligence chief. A disguised suicide bomber had just finished lunch with Mr. Khalid, sitting right across from him, and set off his explosives at point-blank range as the dishes were being taken away.

Amrullah Saleh the nominee for ministry of interior is apolitician figure, who served as head of theNational Directorate of Securityfrom 2004 until his resignation in 2010. Mr. Saleh beside political activity is leader of Green Trend movement.

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