Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s Minister of Interior, expressed uncertainty about who was responsible for the attack that killed his uncle, Khalil Rahman Haqqani, the Taliban’s Minister of Refugees and Repatriation.
Speaking at Khalil Haqqani’s funeral on Thursday in Paktia Province, Sirajuddin Haqqani said, “I don’t know who carried out this act.”
ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K) has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing, which targeted Khalil Haqqani at his Kabul office earlier this week. Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, also attributed the attack to “Khawarij,” a term the Taliban often use to describe ISIS-K militants.
‘No personal enemies’
During the funeral, Sirajuddin Haqqani described Khalil Haqqani as a man without “personal grudges or enmities” and highlighted his history of fighting against two “imperial powers.” He added, “We hold no personal grudges, but people should learn how we respond to such acts.”
Referring to the $5 million U.S. bounty placed on Khalil Haqqani, Sirajuddin said, “The perpetrator likely believed Haji Khalil was an enemy of the infidels because of the American reward on him. But he was no enemy of Muslims.”
Call for accountability
In an emotional address, Sirajuddin Haqqani vowed that divine justice would prevail, saying, “God will avenge my uncle’s death.” Addressing the perpetrators, he added, “If only you had acted against infidels to elevate the stature of Muslims, instead of targeting one of your own.”
Khalil Rahman Haqqani, a senior member of the Haqqani network and a key Taliban figure, was killed in a suicide attack on Wednesday. His funeral in the Gardi Siry district of Paktia Province was held under heavy security and attended by senior Taliban officials, though Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada was notably absent.
The killing of Khalil Haqqani has raised questions about the Taliban’s claims of ensuring security, as they continue to face deadly attacks from ISIS-K, despite their assertions of having suppressed the terrorist faction.
