Khalil-ur-Rehman Haqqani, the Taliban’s Minister of Refugees, was killed on Wednesday in a deadly explosion at the Ministry of Refugees compound in Kabul.
The attack, reportedly carried out by a suicide bomber, occurred as Haqqani was leaving a mosque after prayers. The initial reports confirmed that at least four people, including Haqqani, were killed in the blast, and several others sustained injuries. Witnesses described the explosion as a targeted attack, with the bomber detonating an explosive-laden jacket near Haqqani as he exited the mosque.
Khalil-ur-Rehman Haqqani was a senior figure within the Taliban regime, known for his close familial ties to the Haqqani Network. He was the uncle of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s leader, and the brother of Jalaluddin Haqqani, the founder of the Haqqani network. He was appointed as the acting minister of refugees following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. Haqqani played a pivotal role in managing refugee affairs amidst Afghanistan’s ongoing challenges.
This assassination marks a significant blow to the Taliban leadership and comes after the high-profile killing of Daud Muzammil, another senior Taliban official, in March 2023. Meanwhile, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.