Afghanistan's four top security officials resign

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Afghanistan's ministers of defense and interior, as well as another security chief, quit on Saturday, government sources said, following the resignation of the president's national security advisor earlier in the day.

National security advisor quits

Mohammad Hanif Atmar, national security advisor to the Afghan president, has resigned from office, citing differences over the policies and approaches at the top level of government, local media Tolo News reported on Saturday.

According to a resignation letter published by Tolo News, Atmar wrote that he disagreed over many issues "when it comes to national unity, national consensus, peace and security political management, electoral affairs, good governance and regional affairs."

He also stated that "because of my differences of these things in recent months I am stepping down because we haven't reached a consensus."

More security officials resign

"We have received four resignations by two ministers and two senior security officials," an official in President Ashraf Ghani's office told Reuters.

File photo of Tariq Shah Bahrami /VCG Photo

Government sources said the new resignations were from Defense Minister Tariq Shah Bahrami and Interior Minister Wais Barmak, as well as Masoom Stanekzai, the head of the National Directorate of Security.

File photo of Wais Ahmad Barmak /VCG Photo

Two senior interior ministry officials said the country's top security officials cited differences with the government over policy amid the deteriorating security situation as the main reason for resigning.

Dire security situation

Atmar's announcement came days after a terrorist attack hit central Kabul which was claimed by ISIL.

File photo of Masoom Stanekzai /VCG Photo

Heavy fighting between Taliban insurgents and Afghan forces across the country this year, as well as repeated suicide attacks in Kabul and other major cities, have underlined the dire security situation facing Afghanistan, reports said.

With parliamentary elections due on October 20, authorities had been bracing for more attacks. But even so, the scale of the violence has shocked government officials, who are facing bitter criticism over their handling of the war.

(With inputs from agencies)

(Cover: File photo of Mohammad Hanif Atmar /VCG Photo)