KABUL – Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani, Minister for Refugees of Afghanistan, has been died in suicide blast on Wednesday.
The deceased was top leader of Haqqani network, a militant faction blamed for major attacks during Afghan war. He was also on US sanctions list, and was prominent figure within the incumbent Taliban setup.
Khalil was brother of Jalaluddin Haqqani, the founder of the Haqqani network, and the uncle of Sirajuddin Haqqani, current interior minister of Afghanistan.
The family continues to hold major influence within Taliban, with reports indicating an internal struggle for power among different factions of the group.
Pakistani government Ishaq Dar expressed deep shock over death of Afghan Taliban Minister Khalil Rahman Haqqani in a suicide bombing in Kabul, which also killed six others. Islamabad condemned the attack and offered condolences, reaffirming its stance against terrorism.
The attackers’ identity remains unknown. Haqqani, who was designated a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” by the US in 2011, had a $5 million reward offered for information leading to his arrest.
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