Afghan general arrested on corruption charges
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 28 March 2017 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Afghan general arrested on corruption charges, 28 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5975a6c411.html [accessed 6 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
March 28, 2017
Afghan security officials patrol in an area during an operation against Taliban militants in the Nad Ali district of Helmand Province on March 11.
A senior Afghan general has been arrested on charges of corruption and misuse of power, a government spokesman said.
Major General Mohammad Moeen Faqir was arrested by the Attorney Generals' Anticorruption Justice Center, defense ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri said in a statement on March 27. He did not provide further details.
The government deployed Faqir to crack down on corruption in the restive province of Helmand, in southern Afghanistan, in 2016.
Faqir took command of the Afghan Army's 215th Corps after the former commander there was accused of making payments to non-existent "ghost soldiers."
At the time, a U.S. military spokesman said the Pentagon was "very, very impressed" with Faqir, saying "he is personally invested in turning around the 215th Corps."
In October, Faqir himself was replaced with no official explanation.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has promised to stamp out corruption in the government and the security services.
The Anticorruption Justice Center is among several new government taskforces to be established to target high-level officials accused of corruption.
Faqir's arrest came on the same day the Afghan defence and interior ministers and the head of the country's intelligence service survived a vote of confidence over the failure to tackle mounting insecurity and the Taliban insurgency.
Based on reporting by Reuters and Tolo News
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
