On Wednesday, December 11, Afghan Minister for Refugees Khalil ur-Rahman Haqqani was killed in a suicide bombing. According to Taliban representatives, the bomber detonated himself in Kabul in front of the Ministry of Refugees. Several other people were also killed and injured. Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid reported on X that Haqqani was killed on […]
On Wednesday, December 11, Afghan Minister for Refugees Khalil ur-Rahman Haqqani was killed in a suicide bombing.
According to Taliban representatives, the bomber detonated himself in Kabul in front of the Ministry of Refugees. Several other people were also killed and injured.
Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid reported on X that Haqqani was killed on the afternoon of December 11 “as a result of a cowardly attack.”
“This event cannot weaken the strength of the Islamic Emirate against conspirators, but it shows their impure intentions,” he stated.
According to Afghan authorities, the perpetrator of the bombing was a member of ISIS-Khorasan.
“He was killed by these Kharijites who call themselves Muslims while declaring other Muslims as infidels,” Mujahid wrote.
On its website “Amaq,” the ISIS-Khorasan group claimed responsibility for the bombing on the evening of December 11. ISIS-Khorasan also published a photo of the attacker.
“When Khalil Haqqani exited the ministry building, the attacker approached him and detonated himself, resulting in his and his companions’ deaths,” the statement said.
In more than three years of Taliban rule in Afghanistan, this is the first instance of such a high-ranking Taliban official being killed in this manner.
It is reported that the Khorasan branch of the Islamic State is based in Afghanistan and has become more active in recent years. Most of the group’s members are from Tajikistan. They previously fought with ISIS in Syria but came to Afghanistan after ISIS was defeated in Syria.