Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s interior minister, this week traveled to the United Arab Emirates, accompanied by Abdul Haq Wasiq, the head of Taliban intelligence. According to a former security official, the trip may have served multiple objectives, including improving ties between the Haqqani network and India, advancing prisoner exchanges with the United States, and consolidating Haqqani’s position within the Taliban’s power structure.
The Taliban’s spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, announced the visit on Tuesday, January 21, via a post on X.
Mujahid stated that Haqqani met with Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the U.A.E.’s president, to discuss “issues of mutual interest, regional stability, Afghanistan’s economic development, and other important matters.”
This marks Haqqani’s second visit to the U.A.E. in less than a year, following an earlier trip in April 2024. On both occasions, Wasiq accompanied him. Notably, Haqqani remains on the United Nations Security Council’s sanctions list, adding complexity to these high-level engagements.
The timing of the visit coincides with several significant developments: the ongoing prisoner exchanges between the U.S. and the Taliban, including the uncertain fate of American detainee Mahmoud Shah Habibi; Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration; and internal disputes within the Taliban between the Haqqani network and Kandahari factions over recent appointments in the Ministry of Refugees.
According to the former security official, the Haqqani network’s longstanding ties with the U.A.E. have been cultivated over decades, including during the previous Afghan republic. These connections have strengthened in recent years, with Anas Haqqani, a key figure in the network, playing a central role in maintaining them.
“Competition between the U.A.E. and Qatar has also bolstered the U.A.E.’s relationship with the Haqqani network,” the source said, adding that such ties could further exacerbate internal rivalries within the Taliban.
The U.A.E. may also be leveraging its relationship with Haqqani to position itself as a mediator in regional security issues, particularly those involving the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban leadership.
The visit follows a similar trip by Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s foreign minister, to the U.A.E. earlier this month. During that visit, Muttaqi met with the U.A.E.’s Minister of Economy and Foreign Minister, as well as India’s Deputy Foreign Minister, reportedly with U.A.E. mediation. However, Sheikh Mohammed did not meet with Muttaqi during that trip, suggesting a difference in the significance of Haqqani’s visit.
Analysts have speculated that Haqqani’s prominence in these engagements may reflect his growing influence within the Taliban, particularly as internal divisions persist.
