Afghanistan’s refugees minister Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani killed in explosion: govt source

KABUL: The Afghan minister for refugees was killed on Wednesday in an explosion at the ministry’s offices in the capital Kabul, a government source told AFP.

“Unfortunately an explosion happened at the Ministry of Refugees and minister Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani has been martyred along with some of his colleagues,” the official said, requesting not to be named.

Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani was the brother of Jalaluddin Haqqani, who founded the feared Haqqani network responsible for some of the most violent attacks during the Taliban’s two-decade insurgency.

He was also the uncle of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the current interior minister.

Bomb blast kills 1, wounds 11 in Afghan capital

Violence has waned in Afghanistan since the Taliban forces took over the country in 2021, ending their war against the United States and Nato-led foreign forces.

However the regional chapter of Islamic State, known as Islamic State Khorasan, is active in Afghanistan and has regularly targeted civilians, foreigners and Taliban officials with gun and bomb attacks.