Karzai move to replace Tajiks has his Defence Minister fuming

A power struggle between Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan’s US-backed president, and Mohammed Fahim, the defense minister, has flared into serious confrontation, raising concerns of a split in the still-fragile government.

During six months as the country’s appointed leader, Karzai largely avoided antagonising Fahim, allowing him unfettered rule over a military mini-empire dominated by fellow ethnic Tajik militia fighters from northeastern Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley.

Now Karzai has taken steps to challenge Fahim. Two weeks ago, Karzai ordered Fahim to reduce the number of Panjshiris in the Defense Ministry and replace them with non-Tajiks, according to foreign diplomats and Afghan officials. Karzai dismissed his Defense Ministry guards last month and replaced them with US Special Forces suggesting that Karzai doubted Fahim’s loyalty. (LATWP)