Afghan Ministry of Defense
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The Afghan Ministry of Defense is an organ of the Government of Afghanistan, overseeing the Afghan National Army. As of 2004, it is headed by Abdul Rahim Wardak, a former mujahideen who also received some military training in the United States.
Earlier, it was headed by Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim, who came under dispute after accusations of illegally occupying land. Former Deputy Minister Wardak was subsequently appointed Minister by President Hamid Karzai.
One of the primary functions of the Defense Ministry today is disarming the militias and warlords not answering to the authority of the central government, which sprung up after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and the collapse of the Taliban government. Taliban insurgents have repeatedly attacked ministry officials.
On June 9, 2003, the United Nations urged the Afghan government to take drastic steps to make both the National Army and the Defense Ministry better reflect the nation's ethnic make-up.
This came after an earlier announcement on February 20, 2003 by former Defense Minister Mohammad Qasim Fahim that steps were being taken to this effect [1].
[edit] List of Defense Ministers
| No. | Name | Took Office | Left Office | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| * | Ghulam Haidar Rasuli | Unknown | April, 1978 | |
| * | Abdul Qadir Dagarwal | May 1978 | August, 1978 | PDPA-Parcham |
| * | Mohammad Aslam Watanjar | March 1979 | July, 1979 | PDPA-Khalq |
| * | Hafizullah Amin | July, 1979 | December, 1979 | PDPA-Khalq |
| * | Mohammed Rafie | January, 1980 | 1982 | PDPA-Parcham |
| * | Abdul Qadir Dagarwal | 1982 | December 1986 | PDPA-Parcham |
| * | Mohammed Rafie | December 1986 | May, 1988 | PDPA-Parcham |
| * | Shahnawaz Tanai | May 1988 | March, 1990 | PDPA-Khalq |
| * | Mohammad Aslam Watanjar | March, 1990 | April, 1992 | PDPA-Khalq |
| * | Ahmed Shah Massoud | June 1992 | September 2001 | Jamiat-i-Islami |
| * | Mohammad Qasim Fahim | September, 2001 | December 2004 | Jamiat-i-Islami |
| * | Abdurrahim Wardak | December, 2004 | Incumbent | None |
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