The Ministry of Defense is the cabinet ministry of Afghanistan responsible for overseeing the Afghan Armed Forces (currently referred to as the Islamic Emirate Armed Forces). The ministry is located in Kabul.
The Democratic Republic period
From the 30th of April until 9 August 1978, Abdul Qadir succeeded the slain Ghulam Haidar Rasuli as Defense Minister of the DRA, responsible for the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, until being succeeded by General Aslam Watanjar. In 1990 forces loyal to Minister of Defense Shahnawaz Tanai and Hezbi Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar attempted a fail coup against then President Najibullah. His forces were thwarted by General Aslam Watanjar who was rewarded the post of Minister of Defence. Watanjar would be the last Minister of Defense of the DRA/ROA. The government collapsed in 1992.
Additionally, the Ministry of Defense also had their own annual publication titled “The Military Magazine” (, ) which began in 1967, under the Kingdom of Afghanistan. This was continued under the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.
The Islamic Republic period
During the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2004–2021), the defense minister was nominated by the President of Afghanistan and the National Assembly made the final approval.
One of the functions of the Defense Ministry during that period was the continuance of disarming insurgent groups, through programmes such as the Afghan New Beginnings Programme (which included the rehabilitation and reintegration of child soldiers). These militant groups coalesced from warlords and former army personnel after the collapse of the Najibullah government in 1992.
List of ministers Prior to 1929, Afghanistan had no ministers of defense but rather ministers of war.
Ministers of War Mohammad Nadir, May 1919 to January 1922 Mohammad Hashim, January 1922 to September 1922 Mohammad Nadir, September 1922 to April 1924 Muhammad Wali, April 1924 to June 1924 Abdul Aziz Barakzai, June 1924 to January 1929
Ministers of Defense Portrait Name Term of office Political affiliation Took office Left office Time in office 1 Sayyid Husayn January 1929 March 1929 Saqqawist 2 Purdil Khan March 1929 October 1929 Saqqawist 3 Shah Mahmud Khan 1929 1947 years Independent – Amanul Mulk years Unknown 4 Mohammad Daoud Khan 1947 1948 years Independent 5 Gen. Muhammad Umar 1948 1952 years Unknown 6 Mohammed Arif 1952 1958 years Unknown (4) Mohammad Daoud Khan 1958 1963 years Independent 7 Khan Mohammad 1963 1973 years Unknown (4) Mohammad Daoud Khan 1973 1973 years Independent 8 Abdul Karim Mustaghni 1973 1977 years Republican 9 Ghulam Haidar Rasuli 7 November 1977 28 April 1978 Republican 10 Abdul Qadir 27 April 1978 17 August 1978 PDPA–Parcham 11 Nur Muhammad Taraki 17 August 1978 1 April 1979 PDPA–Khalq 12 Mohammad Aslam Watanjar 1 April 1979 28 July 1979 PDPA–Khalq 13 Hafizullah Amin 28 July 1979 27 December 1979 PDPA 14 Mohammed Rafie 28 December 1979 1982 years PDPA (10) Abdul Qadir 1982 September 1984 years PDPA–Parcham 15 Nazar Mohammad 4 December 1984 4 December 1986 years PDPA–Khalq (14) Mohammed Rafie December 1986 May 1988 PDPA 16 Shahnawaz Tanai May 1988 March 1990 PDPA–Khalq (12) Mohammad Aslam Watanjar March 1990 April 1992 PDPA–Khalq – Ahmad Shah Massoud 28 April 1992 28 June 1992 Jamiat-e Islami 17 28 June 1992 9 September 2001 18 Obaidullah Akhund April 1997 9 September 2001 Taliban 19 Mohammed Fahim 9 September 2001 23 December 2004 Jamiat-e Islami 20 Abdul Rahim Wardak 23 December 2004 7 August 2012 Mahaz-e-Milli-ye Islami – Enayatullah Nazari 8 August 2012 15 September 2012 Jamiat-e Islami 21 Bismillah Khan Mohammadi 15 September 2012 24 May 2015 Jamiat-e Islami – Mohammed Masoom Stanekzai 24 May 2015 20 June 2016 Independent 22 Abdullah Habibi 20 June 2016 24 April 2017 Independent 23 Tariq Shah Bahramee 24 April 2017 23 December 2018 Independent – Asadullah Khalid 23 December 2018 21 November 2020 Ittehad-e Islami 24 21 November 2020 19 March 2021 – Yasin Zia 19 March 2021 19 June 2021 Independent (21) Bismillah Khan Mohammadi 19 June 2021 15 August 2021 Jamiat-e Islami – Abdul Qayyum Zakir 24 August 2021 7 September 2021 Taliban – Mullah Yaqoob 7 September 2021 15 August 2025 Taliban 25 15 August 2025 Incumbent
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