By Levina

Khalilur Rahman Haqqani, the Taliban’s Minister of Refugees, was killed in an explosion. The blast occurred within the Ministry of Refugees during a meeting. Khalilur Rahman Haqqani, a senior Taliban official and uncle to the group’s Interior Minister( Sirajuddin Haqqani) held significant influence within the organization.

Khalilur Rahman Haqqani was among the first high-ranking Taliban members to arrive in Kabul following the collapse of the previous Afghan government. After fleeing Kabul, Hamdullah Mohib, the National Security Advisor to former President Ashraf Ghani, revealed that he had been in contact with Khalilur Rahman Haqqani during the city’s fall. Mohib even suggested meeting Haqqani in person in Logar or Wardak provinces.

As a prominent Taliban minister, Khalilur Rahman Haqqani was known for his militant image, frequently seen carrying a rifle at both official events and in his office. Probably this is why he was targeted when he was coming out of the mosque. He wasn’t carrying his weapon then.

Following the Taliban’s entry into Kabul in August 2021 (Asad 1400), Haqqani was involved in a physical altercation with Mullah Baradar, the Taliban’s Deputy for Economic Affairs, during discussions on cabinet formation at the Kabul Palace. At the time, Bloomberg reported that Mullah Baradar sought to establish a government acceptable to the international community. However, during a heated moment, Khalilur Rahman Haqqani opposed Baradar’s plans by physically assaulting him.

In 2011, the U.S. government designated Khalilur Rahman Haqqani as a “global terrorist” and announced a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture.

Lately Pakistan and China had been pressurizing Taliban to not support TTP/ Pakistan Taliban, as the militant group had been causing a lot of damage inside Pakistan. On November 5th, Ambassador Zhao Xing met with Acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriations of Afghanistan Khalil Haqqani.