Tunisian army chief of staff resigns

General Mohamed Salah Hamdi, chief of staff of Tunisia’s army has resigned, according to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Defense.

“The Minister of Defense clarifies that the chief of staff of the army submitted his resignation on July 23, 2014, for personal reasons, and we have accepted it,” Rachid Bouhoula, spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense said.

“He will remain in his position until his replacement is chosen by the minister of defense, with the agreement of President Marzouki and Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa,” he added.

President Moncef Marzouki appointed Hamdi as chief of staff in July 2013 after his predecessor, General Rachid Ammar, retired.

 Hamdi’s resignation comes amid criticism of the army’s response to recent militant attacks on soldiers in Tunisia’s mountainous West, along the country’s border with Algeria.