Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak resigned Tuesday after losing no-confidence vote in parliament on his handling of security issues. “I respected the parliament’s decision to twice appoint me as defense minister, and now I accept the parliament decision to remove me. I resign my position,” Wardak told journalists. The Afghan parliament voted on Saturday to remove Wardak and Interior Minister Bismillah Mohammadi after recent insurgent assassinations of senior officials, as well as cross-border attacks blamed on Pakistan.