Afghan Refugee Minister Assassinated in Explosion at Ministry HQ
The Taliban government spokesman denounced a “despicable attack” by the Islamic State group, paying tribute to a “great fighter” who had “become a martyr.”
According to the "Islamic Emirate" official, the ISIS group is responsible for this attack.
The official stated: "With deep regret, we have learned that the Minister of Refugees and Repatriation of the Islamic Emirate was martyred this afternoon in a cowardly attack by the Khawarij."
The explosion, for which no group has yet claimed responsibility, took place “at the headquarters of the Ministry of Refugees,” a government source told AFP, adding that it was a suicide bombing.
“Unfortunately, an explosion occurred at the Ministry of Refugees and we can confirm that Minister Khalilur Rahman Haqqani was martyred along with a number of his colleagues,” the source, who asked not to be named, said.
Security forces cordoned off the neighborhood where the ministry is located in central Kabul, AFP correspondents reported.
The ministry’s Twitter account reported that training workshops had been held at the site in recent days.
Every day, large numbers of displaced people head to the ministry to ask for help or push for resettlement, in a country that is home to more than 3 million people displaced by war.
"Global Terrorist"
Khalilur Rahman, who carried an automatic weapon in all his appearances, is the brother of Jalaluddin, the founder of the Haqqani Network, which is attributed to the most violent attacks witnessed in Afghanistan during the two decades of Taliban rule that ended the US invasion of the country in 2001. He is also the uncle of the current Minister of the Interior, Sirajuddin Haqqani.
The United States has offered a financial reward of up to five million dollars for information on Khalilur Rahman, describing him as a "prominent leader in the Haqqani Network", which Washington has classified as a "terrorist organization".
In February 2011, the US Treasury Department designated him a "global terrorist".
He was subject to sanctions by the United States and the United Nations, which estimated him to be 58 years old.
The Haqqani Network appears to be involved in a power struggle within the Taliban government. According to press reports, the struggle is between a camp demanding the strict application of Sharia law, as per the approach of the Taliban's supreme leader based in Kandahar, and a more pragmatic camp in Kabul.
Since the Taliban returned to power following the US withdrawal in the summer of 2021, violence in Afghanistan has declined. However, the local branch of the Islamic State (ISIS-Khorasan Province) remains active in the country and has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks targeting civilians, foreigners, and Taliban officials.
Explosions have been heard in Kabul on several occasions, reported by local sources, but Taliban officials rarely confirm such incidents.
In late October, a child was killed and about a dozen people were injured in an attack on a market in the city center.
In September, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for a suicide attack that killed six people and wounded 13 at the office of the public prosecutor in Kabul.
The group said its goal was to “avenge Muslims in Taliban prisons,” although the movement often announces the arrest or killing of members of the organization, while stressing that it has confronted the organization in the country.
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