As the violence escalated, the Afghan president replaced two chief ministers, the army chief
Kabul: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has replaced his defense and interior ministers and army chief of staff amid rising casualties among Afghan security forces fighting the Taliban.
The changes, announced by the presidential palace over the weekend, come as Afghan security forces fight the Taliban in 28 of the country's 34 provinces, and in recent weeks a hardline Islamist group has claimed more territory. What is it?
Bismillah Khan Mohammadi was appointed caretaker defense minister in place of Asadullah Khalid, who had recently returned home after a long illness, while Hayatullah Hayat was replaced by Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal as interior minister.
Led by the late anti-Soviet resistance hero Ahmad Shah Massoud, a senior commander, Mohammadi has a long military career and served as interior minister, defense minister, and army chief of staff in the government of former President Hamid Karzai. Do it
The palace said that General Wali Muhammad Ahmadzai was appointed as the new Chief of General Staff in place of General Yasin Zia.
On Friday, 24 Afghan Special Forces personnel were killed and dozens wounded during a battle to seize a Taliban-held district in the northern province of Faryab, security officials said.
The Taliban have been campaigning for a month to increase their influence across the country, as the United States has begun withdrawing troops since May 1, closing some bases and handing them over to the Afghan government.
Since the United States announced plans to withdraw all its troops by April 11 April, at least 30 districts have been captured by the Taliban.
A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there had been heavy casualties in recent weeks between heavy security forces, Afghan security forces, civilians, and the Taliban. No further details were immediately available.
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