A suicide assault on the constructing of Afghanistan’s refugee ministry killed the minister and two others, the Taliban stated Wednesday.
The explosion struck contained in the ministry, killing Khalil Haqqani, officers stated. His final official photograph confirmed him at a gathering chaired by the deputy prime minister, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, earlier Wednesday.
Khalil Haqqani is the uncle of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the performing inside minister who leads a robust community inside the Taliban.
Haqqani was essentially the most high-profile casualty of a bombing in Afghanistan for the reason that Taliban returned to energy and the primary Cabinet member to be killed for the reason that takeover. There was no speedy declare of duty for the blast.
The authorities’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, stated in a publish on X that Haqqani’s dying was an incredible loss.
Haqqani’s killing could be the largest blow to the Taliban since their return to energy given his stature and affect, in accordance with Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Center’s South Asia Institute. It additionally comes at a time when the Taliban have staked their legitimacy on restoring peace after many years of battle, he added.
“The killing of a prime Haqqani chief inside certainly one of its personal ministries undercuts that core narrative,” he stated.
Former President Hamid Karzai and Haqqani’s nephew, Anas, additionally paid tribute to the minister. Taliban safety personnel blocked the highway resulting in the blast web site and barred filming and pictures.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar condemned the killing as a “terrorist assault.”
“Pakistan unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its kinds and manifestations,” Dar stated, including his authorities was in contact with Kabul to get additional particulars.
Daesh terrorist group’s affiliate, a serious enemy of the ruling Taliban, has carried out earlier assaults throughout Afghanistan.
In early September, certainly one of its suicide bombers in a southwestern Kabul neighborhood killed at the least six individuals, wounding 13 others.
But suicide assaults have grow to be more and more uncommon for the reason that Taliban seized energy three years in the past and U.S. and NATO forces withdrew.
Ibraheem Bahiss, an analyst with Crisis Group’s South Asia program, stated the timing of the assault was attention-grabbing because it got here days after Sirajuddin Haqqani gave a speech showing to criticize the Taliban chief for his authoritarian decision-making and lack of consensus constructing, particularly round extra controversial edicts on girls and ladies.
While the timing might gas hypothesis that the suicide bombing was an inside job, Bahiss stated he did not anticipate a civil battle among the many Taliban.
“They do not wish to smash their maintain on energy. They are essentially the most unified political pressure in Afghanistan and have been in a position to handle their variations.”
Bahiss stated he anticipated an outpouring of sympathy and assist for Sirajuddin Haqqani and that this might present a chance to strengthen the Haqqani community additional.
Source: www.dailysabah.com