Khalil Rahman Haqqani[a] (Pashto: خلیلالرحمن حقاني, pronounced [xalilʊrahˈmɑn haqɑˈni]; c. February 1966[1][b] – 11 December 2024) was an Afghan Pashtun warlord, Mujahideen leader and Specially Designated Global Terrorist. He had been the acting Minister of Refugee and Repatriation in the internationally unrecognized Taliban regime since 7 September 2021.[3][4][5] He was a prominent member of the insurgent Haqqani network.[6]
Khalil Haqqani | |
|---|---|
خلیلالرحمن حقاني | |
| Acting Minister of Refugee and Repatriation | |
| In office 7 September 2021 – 11 December 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Hasan Akhund |
| Supreme Leader | Hibatullah Akhundzada |
| Succeeded by | Muhammad Yousuf Wafa |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. February 1966 Paktia Province, Afghanistan |
| Died | 11 December 2024 (aged 57–58) Kabul, Afghanistan |
| Manner of death | Assassination by bombing |
| Political party | Taliban |
| Relations |
|
| Alma mater | Darul Uloom Haqqania |
| Occupation |
|
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) |
| Branch/service |  Haqqani network |
| Years of service | until 2021 |
| Rank |
|
| Commands | Chief of security for Kabul (10 August 2021 – 7 September 2021) |
| Battles/wars | |
Haqqani was killed by a suicide bomber on 11 December 2024. The Islamic State – Khorasan Province claimed responsibility.[7]
Early life and activities
editHaqqanis date and place of birth is most likely to be in February 1966[1] in the Paktia Province of Afghanistan[8] although the Rewards for Justice Program stated that Haqqani may have been born between 1958 and 1964.[8] He belonged to the Zadran tribe of ethnic Pashtuns. During the Afghan War, Haqqani engaged in international fundraising for the Taliban and supported Taliban operations in Afghanistan.[8] In 2002, he deployed men under his charge to reinforce al-Qaida in Paktia Province.[8] In 2009, he aided in the detention of enemy prisoners captured by the Haqqani network and the Taliban.[8] In 2010, he provided funding to the Taliban in Logar Province of Afghanistan.[8] Haqqani also carried out orders from his nephew, Sirajuddin Haqqani, a leader of the Haqqani network who was designated a terrorist in March 2008 under Executive Order 13224.[8]
On 9 February 2011, the United States Department of the Treasury designated Khalil Haqqani a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224[9] and offered a US$5 million bounty for him as one their most wanted terrorists.[10][8] He was listed with the title of a Haji and supposed to be residing in Peshawar, Miram Shah, North Waziristan Agency in Pakistan and in Paktia Province of Afghanistan.[11]
On 9 February 2011, the United Nations added Khalil Haqqani to the 1988 Sanctions List (TAi.150), pursuant to paragraph 2 of resolution 1904 (2009), for association with al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden or the Taliban for "participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of" or "otherwise supporting acts or activities of" the Taliban.[12]
The Haqqani network was founded by Khalil Haqqani's brother Jalaluddin Haqqani. In the mid-1990s they joined Mullah Omar's Taliban regime.[12] The UN determined that Khalil Haqqani engaged in fundraising activities on behalf of the Taliban and the Haqqani network and conducted international travel to obtain financial supporters.[12] As of September 2009, Haqqani obtained financial support from the Arab states of the Persian Gulf and from sources in South Asia and East Asia.[12] In addition, he acted on behalf of Al-Qaida and was associated with their military operations, including the deployment of reinforcements to Al-Qaida elements in Paktia Province.[12]
Government positions
editIn August 2021, after the fall of Kabul, Haqqani was placed in charge of security for Kabul during the transition of power.[6][13] On 7 September 2021, Khalil Haqqani was appointed Minister of Refugees for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in the internationally unrecognized Taliban regime.[14]
Death and funeral
editOn 11 December 2024, a suicide bomber killed Haqqani and five others at his ministry office in Kabul.[15][16] The Washington Post described it as the most significant death among the Taliban leadership since the military takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.[17]
Haqqani was buried in Paktia on 12 December 2024. The funeral, which was attended by thousands of people, took place amid strict security measures.[18][19]
The Islamic State – Khorasan Province (IS-KP) later claimed responsibility for the attack. According to a report issued by IS's news outlet Amaq, an IS-KP militant waited outside the minister's office and detonated explosives as he walked out.[20]
Notes
edit- ^ Also reported as Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani, Khalil al-Rahman Haqqani, Khaleel Haqqani, Khalil Ahmad Haqqani, among other spellings.
- ^ c. 1958–1966 according to Rewards for Justice.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b Siyar Sirat (11 December 2024). "Who was Khalil Haqqani?". Amu Television. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ "Khalil al-Rahman Haqqani". Retrieved 12 December 2024.
- ^ "Over 1.5M Migrants Returned to Country During Past Year". TOLOnews. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
- ^ "Ministry of refugees gets 15 million Euro boost". Ariana News. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "Haqqani proposes trilateral meeting on Afghan refugees". Pajhwok Afghan News. 19 January 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ a b Latifi, Ali M. (22 August 2021). "'All Afghans' should feel safe under Taliban, says security chief". Al Jazeera English. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
- ^ Presse, AFP-Agence France. "Afghanistan's Minister Of Refugees Killed In Explosion: Govt Source". www.barrons.com. Archived from the original on 14 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Rewards for Justice – Khalil Haqqani". Rewards for Justice Program. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023.
- ^ Executive Order 13224: Blocking Terrorist Property and a summary of the Terrorism Sanctions Regulations
- ^ "Khalil Haqqani, long on America's terrorist list, is welcomed by cheering crowds in Kabul". The New York Times. 21 August 2021. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ "HAQQANI, Khalil ur Rahman". sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "United Nations Security Council – Khalil Ahmed Haqqani". Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ Gardner, Frank (26 August 2021). "Afghanistan crisis: Who are Isis-K?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
- ^ "Taliban announce new government for Afghanistan". BBC News. 7 September 2021. Archived from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
- ^ Cunningham, Doug (11 December 2024). "Taliban refugee minister Khalil Haqqani killed in Kabul suicide bombing". UPI. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "Afghan refugee minister killed in Kabul blast". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 11 December 2024. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
- ^ Noack, Rick; Khan, Haq Nawaz (11 December 2024). "Afghan blast kills key minister, shocking Taliban". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 11 December 2024.
- ^ "Thousands attend the funeral of a Taliban minister killed by an Islamic State suicide bomber". Associated Press. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
- ^ "Afganistán entierra al ministro fallecido en atentado bajo estrictas medidas de seguridad".
- ^ "Khalil Haqqani: Taliban minister killed in bombing in Kabul". BBC. Archived from the original on 11 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
Further reading
edit- U.S. Army (2014). The Haqqani Network. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1-5003-1879-6.
- Brown, Vahid (2013). Fountainhead of Jihad: The Haqqani Nexus, 1973–2012. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-932798-0.
- Coll, Steve (2004). Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001. Penguin Press. ISBN 978-1-86320-007-6.
- Goodson, Larry P. (2001). Afghanistan's Endless War: State Failure, Regional Politics and the Rise of the Taliban. Seattle: University of Washington Press. ISBN 978-0-295-98111-6. OCLC 44634408.
- Griffiths, John C. (2001), Afghanistan: A History of Conflict, London: Carlton Books, ISBN 978-1-84222-597-4
- Matinuddin, Kamal (1999), The Taliban Phenomenon: Afghanistan 1994–1997, Karachi: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-579274-4
- Rashid, Ahmed (2000), Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia, New Haven: Yale University Press, ISBN 978-0-300-08340-8
- Rashid, Ahmad (2001). Taliban: The Story of the Afghan Warlords. London: Pan Books. ISBN 978-0-330-49221-8.
External links
edit- Special Documentary about Haji khalil Rahman 29 December 2023 on YouTube, Shamshad TV
- The Haqqani Network (PDF), by Jeffrey A. Dressler, Institute for the Study of War
