KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghanistan’s defense minister and army chief stepped down Monday amid growing outrage over the deaths of more than 100 soldiers in one of the deadliest Taliban attacks of the 16-year war.
President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations of Defense Minister Abdullah Habibi and Qadam Shah Shaheem, the chief of army staff, in a meeting at the presidential palace, according to a government statement.
Ghani also approved an order to replace the commander of the 209th Corps, the army unit based at the military installation in the northern province of Balkh that was attacked Friday, as well as three other units.
A small group of protesters gathered in Kabul on Monday to criticize the government following the Taliban raid, in which 10 militants wearing army uniforms infiltrated the base and opened fire on soldiers as they were concluding prayers or having lunch. Unconfirmed reports from provincial military officials said more than 140 Afghan soldiers were killed.
