Islamabad, December 11
The Minister of Refugee Affairs and two others in the Taliban government were killed in a fidayeen attack in the Afghan capital Kabul today. Home Ministry officials gave this information.
Officials said the blast occurred inside the ministry and killed Khalil Haqqani, minister of refugee affairs. He did not give any other information as he was not authorized to talk to the media. Khalil Haqqani was a close relative of Acting Interior Minister Sirazuddin Haqqani in the Taliban government. Sirajuddin heads a powerful network in the Taliban.
Khalil Haqqani remains the top official to have died in bombings since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan three years ago. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the blast.
In March last year, a bomb blast in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Afghanistan’s Balkh province, killed Dawood Muzamal, the provincial governor appointed by the Taliban, and two others.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has condemned the killing of Haqqani. He said that he is in touch with Kabul for detailed information. – Ap