KABUL — After a 52-day absence, Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s acting interior minister, appeared at a mosque in Khost on Friday, March 14. But no recent images have emerged confirming his presence at the Interior Ministry, fueling speculation about whether he has stepped back from his official duties.
Haqqani last traveled to the United Arab Emirates on Jan. 22. The most recent official photo of him, posted on the Taliban-run Interior Ministry’s social media account on X, dates back two months, when he met with Saudi Arabia’s chargé d’affaires for Afghanistan on Jan. 14.
His prolonged absence has raised questions: Has Haqqani withdrawn from the ministry and returned to his traditional power base?
Mohammad Asif Siddiqui, a former deputy speaker of the Afghan Senate, said tensions between Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and the Haqqani network have escalated in recent months.
“The divisions have deepened,” Siddiqui told Amu TV. “Haqqani has effectively been stripped of his previous authority, and Akhundzada has created an environment where his resignation is becoming inevitable.”
Sources familiar with the Taliban’s internal politics have reported growing friction between the Kandahari faction, which dominates the Taliban’s leadership, and the Haqqani network. According to these sources, Haqqani has become increasingly frustrated with what he sees as Akhundzada’s consolidation of power.
A key point of contention was the reassignment of Abdul Kabir, the Taliban’s former deputy chief minister for political affairs, to the role of acting minister for refugees. Some sources say the Haqqani faction viewed the refugee ministry as part of its sphere of influence and saw Kabir’s reassignment as a political slight.
Fayz Zaland, a political analyst, downplayed the significance of the reported tensions.
“The disagreements among the Taliban are more about differences in opinion than outright internal opposition,” Zaland told Amu TV. “Reassignments are normal. Even if they occur, I don’t think they will lead to a split that could threaten the Taliban’s rule.”
More than two months after Kabir’s reassignment, the position of deputy prime minister for political affairs remains vacant. However, despite his official transfer, Kabir has reportedly continued to operate from his former office in Sapidar Palace, overseeing refugee ministry affairs from there.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has denied reports of serious internal divisions, saying that differences of opinion are natural but do not indicate a major rift within the Taliban.
While Haqqani’s public appearance in Khost suggests he has not disappeared from political life, his continued absence from the Interior Ministry raises further questions about his standing within the Taliban’s leadership.
