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Afghan lawmakers approve 11 cabinet nominees, reject one after months of stalemate

The file photo shows a general view of a session of the Afghan parliament. (Via AP)

Afghanistan's parliament has approved nearly a dozen nominees for ministerial posts after months of deadlock in the embattled unity government. 

“Of 12 nominees that the government presented to us, 11 were approved and became ministers," parliament chairman Abdul Raouf Ibrahimi said on Monday, adding, "We congratulate the approved ministers." 

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ibrahimi noted that the lone female in the group nominated for the post of minister of mines was rejected.

Afghanistan's power-sharing unity government was formed following the disputed 2014 presidential election. It has since been weakened by infighting between rivals. Political quarrels between factions loyal to President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah have also seen several officials abandon the fragile government. 

Over half of the cabinet's 25 ministerial posts have remained unfilled for months. Many of the posts, including the crucial defense and interior chiefs, have been left vacant after the ministers were fired by parliament for a range of offences, including incompetence and failure to manage their budgets.
The Interior Ministry post has been left vacant since August after the former minister resigned.

In April, the Afghan defense minister and his army chief resigned days after one of the deadliest-ever Taliban attacks on a military base triggered calls for officials to step down. The coordinated attack left over 100 soldiers killed or wounded in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

The developments come as Afghan forces have been struggling to beat back the Taliban and other militant groups operating across the violence-wracked country. 

Afghanistan is engulfed by violence and many parts of the country remain plagued by militancy despite the presence of foreign troops.

The United States and its NATO allies invaded the country in 2001as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror.

The Taliban were removed from power but they have been engaged in militancy across Afghanistan for the past 16 years, killing government officials, security forces, and civilians.


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