Afghan minister for refugees killed in Kabul suicide bombing

Tengrinews.kz - Khalil Haqqani, Afghanistan’s minister for refugees in the Taliban-led government, was killed in a suicide bombing in Kabul, according to CNN.

The attack was carried out by an ISIS supporter who entered the Ministry of Refugees under the guise of a visitor, detonating his explosive device while Haqqani was signing documents, a ministry representative told CNN. Six other people were also killed in the attack.

The Taliban condemned the attack, blaming ISIS for the "cowardly assault" and referring to the group as a "faction that falsely claims to follow Islam while labeling other Muslims as infidels." ISIS has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

Khalil Haqqani is the highest-profile victim of a terrorist attack in Afghanistan since the Taliban took control of the country three years ago.

In 2011, the United States offered a reward of up to $5 million for information related to Khalil Haqqani, whom Washington designated as a terrorist. He is also listed under the United Nations Security Council's 1988 sanctions list.

Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani was appointed as Afghanistan's minister for refugees on September 7, 2021, when the Taliban announced the formation of its interim government following the takeover of the country in August 2021. Khalil-ur-Rahman is the uncle of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the leader of the Haqqani Network, a Taliban-linked militant group accused of carrying out numerous attacks in Afghanistan.