Major General Abdul Raheem Abdul Latheef, who was Vice Chief of Defense Forces during former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's administration, was appointed as Chief of Defense Forces on Friday night.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu presented his letter of appointment during a ceremony held at the President’s Office to make appointments to key posts.
According to the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) website, Abdul Raheem was born on April 17, 1964 and joined the military on February 18, 1985.
He began his service in the "signals" department and completed a radio technical course in America to specialize in the field, finishing top of his class.
After climbing through the ranks in the department, Abdul Raheem also served as second in command.
A graduate of Sri Lanka's Defense Services and Command College, Abdul Raheem also underwent training at the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii.
Abdul Raheem's posts in the military
- Commander of the Senahiya hospital
- Commanding Officer of the Defense Intelligence Service
- MNDF Southern Area Commander
- Commanding Officer of the Special Protection Group (SPG)
- Commanding Officer of the Military Police
- Principal Director and Acting Commander of the Service Corp.
In addition to these posts, he also served as a member of several boards, including the APEX Advisory Council to the Minister of Defense and Chief of Defense Forces.
He also served as the army's official spokesman for four years.
During his military service, Abdul Raheem earned 17 medals and colors, including the Presidential Medal, Distinguished Service Medal, Long Service Medal and Dedicated Service Medal.
He was appointed Vice Chief of Defense Forces on December 11, 2018 and remained in the post until yesterday.
