Shahnawaz Tanai
Lieutenant General Shahnawaz Tanai (Russian: Шахнаваз Танай, 1950 – 7 March 2022) was an Afghan politician and general officer who served as the Chief of General Staff of the Afghan National Army until his defection to neighbouring Pakistan following a failed coup d'état in 1990.
Shahnawaz Tanai | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office May 1988 – March 1990 | |
| President | Mohammad Najibullah |
| Preceded by | Gen. Mohammed Rafie, ANA |
| Succeeded by | Gen. Aslam Vatanjar |
| Head of Military Intelligence | |
| In office May 1978-? | |
| President | Nur Muhammad Taraki |
| Chief of General Staff of the Afghan National Army | |
| In office August 1988 – March 1990 | |
| Preceded by | Gen. Nazar Mohammed |
| Succeeded by | Gen. Asif Dlavar |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1950 Dargai, Khost, Kingdom of Afghanistan |
| Died | 7 March 2022 (aged 72) Islamabad, Pakistan |
| Citizenship | Afghanistan |
| Political party | People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan - Khalq |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Afghanistan |
| Branch/service | Afghan Army |
| Years of service | 1968–1990 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands | Chief of General Staff Afghan National Army Director Military Intelligence 201st Corps in Kabul Commander Artillery Corps |
| Battles/wars | Soviet-Afghan War Afghan Civil War (1989-1992) 1990 Afghan coup d'état attempt |
| Awards | Order of the Saur Revolution |
| History of Afghanistan |
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| Timeline |
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Besides commanding the Afghan National Army during the Soviet-Afghan War, his command assignments included the command of the artillery and director of military intelligence as well as serving as minister of defense under President Mohammad Najibullah. He was a hardline member of the Khalq faction of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan, and leader of at least the majority of the Khalqist faction since its former leader Sayed Mohammad Gulabzoy was exiled as Ambassador to the Soviet Union as part of the political preparation of the Soviet pullout from Afghanistan in September 1988. A pillar of the communist regime, Tanai later attempted a coup against his former friend and President Mohammad Najibullah, before seeking refuge in a hostile Pakistan and working with fundamentalists such as Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. He returned in 2005 and created a political party.
He has been described as a "nationalist radical" who, despite being fiercely pro-Soviet, still maintained secret contacts with certain mujahideen members.