Afghan lawmakers have endorsed a new intelligence chief who has been accused by human rights groups of allowing acts of torture.
Parliament on Saturday voted in Asadullah Khalid, the minister of tribal and border affairs and a former provincial governor.
He takes over Afghanistan's National Security Directorate, known as the NDS.
Khalid is expected to play a key role as NATO troops withdraw over the next two years and Afghan forces take on increasing security responsibilities.
He replaces Rahmatullah Nabil, who was removed as head of the NDS late last month in another shake-up to the Cabinet of Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.