Chief of Defense Abdul Raheem promoted to rank of Lieutenant General

Chief of Defense Force Abdul Raheem Abdul Latheef has been promoted from the rank of Major General to Lieutenant General.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu granted the promotion to Abdul Raheem in a ceremony held at the Bandaara Koshi on Monday.

The ceremony was also attended by Defense Minister Ghassan Maumoon.

Abdul Raheem has become the third Maldivian military officer to get promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General in the country’s history.

He follows the footsteps of Lieutenant General (Retired) Anbari Abdul Sattar and Lieutenant General (Retired) Abdulla Shamaal – who Abdul Raheem replaced as the Chief of Defense Force last month.

Born on April 17, 1964, Abdul Raheem graduated from Majeediyya School prior to his enlistment in the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) in 1985.

Over the course of his military career, Abdul Raheem completed several military courses. This includes the domestic NCO Cadre course, the Signals Young Officer and Mid-career courses in Pakistan, the Command and Staff Course at the Sri Lanka Defense Services Command and Staff College, and the Defense Management Course at the College of Defense Management in Secunderabad, India.

He is also an alumnus of the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies, Hawaii, United States, having completed the Advanced Security Cooperation course there.

Abdul Raheem's has held several prestigious appointments in the past. He served as Vice Chief of Defense Force, and has commanded the Special Protection Group, MNDF Southern Area, the Military Police, the Media and Publishing Service, the Ordnance Service and the Communication Electronics and Information Technology Service.

His other appointments include Spokesperson for MNDF, the Vice Chairperson of MNDF Welfare Governing Board, and the Chairperson of the Grievance Board.

In recognition of his many years of dedicated service, he has been decorated many times. As such, he has been honored with the Presidential Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Dedicated Service Medal, the Defense Force Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the 3rd November Medal and the Centenary Medal.