Afghanistan: Taliban minister killed in suicide bombing

Afghanistan's acting minister for refugees was killed on Wednesday in a suicide bombing in Kabul, the country's Taliban rulers said.

Taliban officials blamed the on the "Islamic State" (IS) group, which later claimed responsibility for the attack.

What else do we know about the attack?

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid hailed minister Khalil Ur Rahman Haqqani as a "great fighter" and condemned the killing as a "cowardly attack."

Reuters cited Haqqani's nephew, Anas Haqqani, as saying that the blast took place as the minister was leaving a mosque after afternoon prayers.

He is the most senior Taliban official to be killed since the group returned to power amid the withdrawal of US-led international forces in August 2021.

The slain minister was a senior leader of the powerful Haqqani network and the uncle of acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani.

The AP news agency cited Taliban Interior Ministry officials as saying that two other people were killed in the bombing.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar condemned the attack, saying he was "shocked."

"Pakistan unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," he said.

Pakistan has not formally recognized Afghanistan's Taliban government. 

Islamabad has repeatedly demanded the Afghan Taliban rein in their Pakistani counterpart, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has carried out numerous attacks on Pakistani soil.

IS attacks in Afghanistan

IS is a major rival of the ruling Taliban and has carried out several attacks in the Central Asian country.

In September, at least 14 people were killed and six wounded in an IS attack in central Afghanistan.

In 2022, a blast took place near the Interior Ministry in Kabul, killing four. In 2023, IS claimed responsibility for an attack outside the Foreign Ministry, that killed at least five.

sdi/jgc (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)