Taliban's Minister of Refugees Killed in Kabul Explosion

Khalil Rahman Haqqani, the Taliban's Minister of Refugees, and six others were killed on Wednesday, December 21, in an explosion in Kabul. Reports from some media indicate that a bomb exploded in the mosque of this ministry. Anas Haqqani, Khalil Rahman Haqqani's nephew, referred to his uncle as a 'brave Mujahid' and added that he and his 'sacrifices' will never be forgotten. As of the time of this report, no individual or group has claimed responsibility for the explosion. Following the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, the Taliban took control of the country with promises of restoring security. However, attacks in urban centers of Afghanistan have continued. Two years ago, an explosion near the Ministry of Interior, managed by the Haqqani network led by Sirajuddin Haqqani, resulted in the deaths of four people. Last year, the ISIS-Khorasan group claimed responsibility for a deadly attack near the Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which killed at least five people. Khalil Rahman, a senior leader of the Haqqani network, became the Taliban's Minister of Refugees following the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan in the summer of 2021. The Haqqani network was responsible for many attacks against U.S. forces during the 20-year military presence of the United States in Afghanistan. In 2011, the U.S. Treasury designated Khalil Rahman as a 'global terrorist' and set a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture.