Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reshuffled senior security officials on Monday, replacing defense and interior ministers, according to Gazeta.uz.
Abdusalom Azizov has replaced Qobul Berdiyev as defense minister, the president’s office said without explaining the reasons for the reshuffle.
Berdiyev had served as Uzbekistan’s defense minister since 2008, having been appointed by Islam Karimov who died last September after running the former Soviet republic for 27 years.
Abdusalom Azizov, on the other hand, has been promoted by Mirziyoyev, who named him interior minister shortly after being elected president last December.
Pulat Bobojonov, previously a regional governor, was named interior minister on September 4.
Meanwhile Reuters reports that the reshuffle leaves Rustam Inoyatov, the head of the National Security Service (SNB), as the only Karimov-era senior security official still in office.
