Ahmad Zia Saraj

Ahmad Zia Saraj was final Director General of NDS from 2019 to 2021, until the collapse of the Islamic Republic. He served as the Deputy Director General, chief of counter terrorism department, deputy chief of foreign intelligence & counterintelligence and some other key positions in NDS respectively over 20 years after the fall of Taliban in 2001. He serves as visiting professor in the war studies department of the King's College London University.

Early life

Ahmad Zia Saraj was born on March 11, 1978, in Kabul, Afghanistan, to a family with a military background. His father was a Brigadier General in the Afghan army. In 2001, Ahmad Zia Saraj joined the National Directorate of Security (NDS) of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Over two decades, he served in various stages and roles within the organization until the collapse of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

Education

Ahmad Zia Saraj completed his high school graduation at Amani High School in Kabul and earned a level 7 degree (master's) in strategic management and leadership from the Chartered Management Institute in the United Kingdom. In 2012, he attended the Advanced Command and Staff Course at Shrivenham, followed by obtaining a master's degree in defense studies from King’s College London in 2013. Since 2023, Ahmad Zia Saraj has been a Visiting Professor at the school.

Career

Ahmad Zia Saraj joined the National Directorate of Security in 2001 and held various roles within the organization. Beginning as a liaison officer, he progressed to become the Chief of NDS Liaison Department. Subsequently, he assumed positions such as Deputy Chief of Counterintelligence and Foreign Intelligence, followed by his appointment as the Chief of the Counter Terrorism Department. Later, Saraj served as the Deputy Director General for Operations.

On September 9, 2019, he appointed as the Acting Director of NDS, and introduced as the nominee of that position by the Afghan government for the Afghan National Assembly. On November 30, 2020, he garnered 220 votes from people representatives, officially becoming the General Director of the National Directorate of Security in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. He spent two decades at the NDS until the collapse of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021.

Achievements

Under the leadership of Ahmad Zia Saraj, the Afghanistan National Directorate of Security (NDS) embarked on a new phase in the fight against internal and international terrorism. During his tenure, the NDS successfully apprehended or neutralized numerous individuals responsible for suicide and terrorist attacks in Afghanistan. These included the perpetrators of the attacks on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, the motor bomb attack on the German Embassy in Kabul and terror attack on Kabul University.

Notably, under Ahmad Zia Saraj's command, the NDS made significant strides against the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISK). Key figures like Abbullah Orakzai AKA Aslam Farooqi and Abu Omar Kunari, along with 400 other ISK members, were arrested, leading to a substantial disruption in ISK's leadership structure. The NDS, during this period, also targeted and apprehended many prominent Taliban members, including governors, significantly impacting the Taliban's operational capabilities. Moreover, the NDS played a crucial role in dismantling various financial networks associated with the Taliban. Overall, Ahmad Zia Saraj's leadership marked a period of notable achievements in countering terrorism and insurgency in Afghanistan.

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