Noor recommends 11 military cadres for MoD

Atta Mohammad Noor, the acting governor of Balkh province has recommended the National Unity Government leaders a list of eleven military figures to be appointed as the new defense minister after Masoom Stanekzai rejected by Afghan parliament.

Bismillah Mohammadi, Abdul Rauf Baigi, Attiqullah Baryalai, Murad Ali Murad, Mohammad Dawood Azizi, Hamayoun Fawzi, Helaluddin Helal, Hafizullah, Rahmatullah Raufi, Abdullah Habibi and Dawran Khan are the eleven generals recommended by powerful Atta Noor, who is a leading figure of the mujahedin Jamiat-e Islami party to be considered for ministry of defense.

President Ghani has failed to have a new defense minister in his cabinet after nine months in office though he has introduced the following three figures.

Sher Mohammad Karimi was not approved by Afghan parliament, Afzal Ludin give up his nomination and Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai whose appointment was publicly opposed by Atta Noor received only 84 of the 231 votes that were cast.

Noor linked Stanekzai to the killing of Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani, a former president and founder of Jamiat-e Islami.

Afghanistan has no defense minister as Taliban has intensified group attacks across the country and Afghan security forces are battling both Taliban and Islamic State (Daesh) without the combat support of the international troops.