Afghan Biographies

Yasin, Zia LtGen


Name Yasin, Zia LtGen
Ethnic backgr. Tajik
Date of birth
Function/Grade Afghan Army Chief of Staff
History and Biodata

1. Former Chief of the General Staff of the Afghan National Army (ANA) Chief of the Army Staff:
Lt Gen Bismullah, Tajik (2003 -20100630),
Gen Shir Mohammad Karimi, Pashtun  (20100630-20150522)
General Qadam Shah Shaheen (20150523, 20160818) resigned (20170424)
LtGen Mohammad Sharif Yaftali has been introduced as the new army chief of staff (20170426, 20180812)
Lt Gen Bismillah Waziri (20190313, 20200903)
LtGen Zia Yasin (20200711, 20210129, 20210319)

 

Deputy to the Chief of the General Staff of ANA:
General Mohammad Ikram (20100630),

ANAs deputy head of operations, Afghan National Army G-3 chief of operations:
Maj. Gen. Afzal Aman (20100915)

Chief of the ANAs Education and Training Department:
Maj. Gen. Aminullah Karimi (20100708)


2. Previous Functions:
Head of Afghanistan’s counter-terrorism unit
Operational Deputy to the director of National Directorate of Security (NDS).   (20110724, 20120809, 20130704, 20151000)
Provincial Governor Takhar (20151008, 20170529 stepped down)
Deputy for the national Security Council NSC (20171205)
Army Chief of Staff (20200711, 20210129, 20210319)
Minister of Defense acting (20210319) because of Illness of

3. Biodata:
Dr. Mohammad Yaseen Mohammad Yasin Zia, Muhammad Yaseen Zia is the son of Mohammad Nasim. He hails from Kapisa Province. Zia was a Operational Deputy to the former director of National Directorate of Security (NDS). Zia formerly served as head of Afghanistan’s counter-terrorism unit and then as deputy chief of the country’s intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security. (20110724, 20120809, 20130704) The appointment of Zia as the Governor in neighbouring Takhar Province was a clear attempt to help quell the insurgency in Kunduz.

Takhar Governor Yasin Zia has disguised himself as ordinary man to catch two attorneys taking bribe.The attorneys asked a man to pay 60,000 for his son to be released from custody. The old man shared the matter with tYasin Zia following which he headed from the provincial capital city to the attorneys’ office in Khwaja Ghar district. Disguised as an ordinary man, the governor caught the attorneys taking Afghani bills from the old man in the presence of also intelligence agents and representatives from attorney office.(20160119)

Yasin Zia, Takhar governor, has sent his resignation letter to the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) on Sunday, May 28, 2017. The reason behind Zia’s move to resign is not clear so far.

Maj General Zia’s appointment as the deputy of the national security for the armed forces was proposed to President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani. Recommendations regarding the promotion of Zia’s rank from Major General to Lieutenant General has been been approved. Gen. Zia has worked in various government fields during the past several years including as the provincial governor in some provinces. He also served as the deputy head of the Afghan intelligence, national directorate of security in the past. His last post in the government was in northeastern Takhar province where he was serving as the provincial governor of the province.(201701205)

A statement by the National Security Council reads that Gen. Yasin Zia will lead the Ministry of Defense while also remaining in his post as chief of staff of the Afghan National Army. Gen. Yasin Zia will serve as acting minister of defense until the return of Defense Minister Assadullah Khalid, who is under treatment for an illness.(20210319)

He speaks Dari and English

 

Last Modified 2021-03-19
Established 2015-10-08