Mohammad Aslam Watanjar

Colonel general Aslam Watanjar
Aslam Watanjar in the 1980s
Minister of Defence
In office 6 March 1990 – April 1992
President	Mohammad Najibullah
Preceded by	Shahnawaz Tanai
Succeeded by	Ahmad Shah Massoud
In office 31 March – 28 July 1979
President	Hafizullah Amin
Preceded by	Abdul Qadir
Succeeded by	Hafizullah Amin
Minister of Internal Affairs
In office 15 November 1988[1] – 6 March 1990
President	Mohammad Najibullah
Preceded by	Sayed Mohammad Gulabzoy
Succeeded by	Raz Muhammad Paktin
In office 28 July 1979[2] – 19 September 1979
Preceded by	Sherjan Mazdoryar
Succeeded by	Vacant
In office 11 July 1978[3] – 1 April 1979
Preceded by	Nur Ahmad Nur
Succeeded by	Sherjan Mazoryar
Minister of Communications
In office 10 January 1980 – 1988
Preceded by	Mohammad Zarif
Succeeded by	Unknown
In office 30 April 1978 – July 1978
Preceded by	Abdul Karim Attayee
Succeeded by	Sayed Mohammad Gulabzoy
Personal details
Born	1946 Paktia Province, Kingdom of Afghanistan
Died	24 November 2000(2000-11-24) (aged 53–54) Odesa, Ukraine
Political party	People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan
Profession	Military officer Politician
Nickname	“The Yeti”
Military service
Allegiance	Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
Branch/service	Afghan Army
Years of service	1967–1992
Rank	Colonel General
Commands	4th Tank Brigade
Battles/wars	1973 Afghan coup d'état 1975 Panjshir Valley uprising Saur Revolution 1979 Herat uprising Soviet-Afghan War Afghan Civil War (1989-1992)

Mohammad Aslam Watanjar (Dari/Pashto: محمداسلم وطنجار,‎ 1946 – November 2000) was an Afghan military officer and politician. He played a significant role in the coup in 1978 that killed the Afghan President Mohammad Daoud Khan, starting the Saur Revolution. Watanjar later became a member of the politburo in the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.