Atiqullah Baryalai

General Atiqullah Baryalai (Persian: عتیق‌الله بریالی; born 1965) is a key military figure as Lieutenant General. He served as the deputy Defense Minister of Afghanistan from 2002 to 2004[1][2] and was a senior commander of the North-Eastern Front; playing a critical role in the fight against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. He also headed the successful Disarmament Demobilization and Re-integration Commission (DDR), the Revival and Rebuilding of National Army Commission and the Reform Committee of the Ministry of Defense.[3]

Lieutenant general Atiqullah Baryalai
Deputy Defense Minister
In office 2002–2004
Personal details
Born	1965 (age 57–58)
Military service
Allegiance	Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Northern Alliance
Branch/service	Afghan National Army
Rank	Lieutenant general (Dagar Jenral)

General Atiqullah Baryalai was one of the key commanders Northern Alliance; he worked closely and extensively with its leader, Ahmad Shah Massoud, in the resistance against the 1980s Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the continuous fight against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

He is a Tajik from Panjshir Province.[1] General Baryalai studied at prestigious Royal College of Defence Studies in London. He was educated at Naderia High School, the National Military Academy of Afghanistan (BA, 1994) and University of East Anglia (MA International Relations and Development Studies, 2012).