US Head of War Dept. Eric Holder Announces Resignation

Local Editor

US Attorney General Eric Holder announced on Thursday that he will resign from his position as the head of the War Department, setting up a potentially bruising Senate fight to confirm a successor who can tackle a long list of pending challenges at the Department.

Holder, one of US President Barack Obama's closest allies, will remain in office until a successor is nominated and confirmed.

"I will never leave the work. I will continue to serve," Holder, with Obama at his side, said during a brief White House announcement of his departure.

Holder had been attorney general since the beginning of Obama's administration.

Meanwhile, a White House official said Obama has not made a decision on a Holder replacement.

The next attorney general will face many challenges, including managing counter-terror initiatives aimed at so-called "Daesh" [ISIL] militants, and balancing privacy rights against government surveillance efforts.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team