Taliban’s minister Khalil ur Rahman Haqqani killed in Kabul blast

KABUL: The Afghan Taliban’s acting minister for refugees, Khalil ur Rahman Haqqani, has been killed in a blast in the country’s capital Kabul, his nephew Anas Haqqani said on Wednesday.

Read this too: Seven killed in Kabul suicide blast

Khalil Haqqani became a minister in the Taliban’s interim government after foreign forces withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021. He was the brother of Jalaluddin Haqqani, the late founder of Haqqani network — a militant faction blamed for major attacks during the 20-year war, according to the US State Department.

Khalil ur Rahman Haqqani was also the uncle of current interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the blast.

“We lost a very brave Mujahid,” Anas Haqqani told Reuters, using the Taliban’s term for its fighters, meaning a holy warrior. “We will never forget him and his sacrifice.”

Islamic State Khorasan, which is the regional chapter of Islamic State, has been carrying out such terrorist activities since Taliban took over Afghanistan, targeting Taliban officials as well as civilians.

The Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021 as foreign forces withdrew, vowing to restore security, but attacks have continued in urban areas.

In 2022, a blast took place near the interior ministry, led by Haqqani network leader Sirajuddin Haqqani, killing four people. In 2023, Islamic State claimed an attack outside the Taliban-run foreign ministry that killed at least five.

The US Treasury classified Khalil Haqqani as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” in 2011 and the State Department offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest.

More to follow