Kabul: President Hamid Karzai's office Monday defended his decision to remove two of Afghanistan's top security figures.
He conceded that they would be missed but insisted they must be held accountable for a recent lapse — an attack on a major peace conference.
The resignations of the interior minister and intelligence chief on Sunday surprised Western leaders and could cause disruption within Afghanistan's intelligence and security establishment at a critical juncture.
The US and Nato are about to escalate the war and the government is formulating plans to negotiate peace with the insurgents.
The resignations are likely to fuel speculation about differences within the Karzai administration over its efforts to reconcile with the Taliban — including the possible release of hundreds of detained suspected militants.
The head of the National Directorate of Security, Amrullah Saleh, was a senior figure in the Northern Alliance that helped the US oust the Taliban regime in 2001. As a young man, Interior Minister Hanif Atmar served in Afghanistan's Communist-era intelligence agency and fought mujahideen opposed to the Soviet occupation.
Saleh and Atmar resigned Sunday, accepting responsibility for lapses that allowed militants to launch an attack on a conference last week.
Some 1,500 dignitaries from across the country had gathered to discuss peace with the insurgents.
Rockets landed near the conference venue, but the attack was thwarted with no injuries to officials.
Security officials have rarely faced punishment or resigned over previous major attacks in the capital and elsewhere.
Karzai left Afghanistan yesterday to attend a conference in Spain, cancelling a news conference.
His spokesman insisted the conference security lapse was the only reason for the resignations.
