The assassination of Khalil Haqqani, Afghanistan’s interim Minister for Refugees, in Kabul represents a major loss for the Afghan Taliban and an even more severe setback for Pakistan.
Interviews with officials from Afghanistan and Pakistan indicate that Haqqani’s death deprives Pakistan of a key ally within a largely hostile Taliban government. Known as a militant foe by the US during the Soviet War and the US-led war on terror, Haqqani had a bounty on his head.
The Taliban seized Kabul on August 15, 2021. Six days later, Haqqani gave a memorable interview in the Afghan capital. Despite being notorious for opposing the US and facilitating attacks post-9/11, he continued to influence the Haqqani network’s leadership after his brother Jalaluddin’s death.
Haqqani tragically died in a suicide attack in the mosque next to his ministry, ironically by the same violent method he once orchestrated. Reports indicate that the bomber, disguised as a needy individual with explosives hidden under plaster on his hand, gained entry by asking to apply for assistance directly to Haqqani.
Despite a 2020 peace agreement, the US kept a $5 million bounty on him. Daesh is the suspected perpetrator of the attack, though the investigation continues.
Haqqani was buried in Paktia province, near the Pakistani border. He once remarked, “America took upon itself the enmity by occupying our land.”
Haqqani also played a pivotal role in mediating the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) conflict, where Pakistan labelled TTP as terrorists, and Afghanistan viewed them as refugees. Despite his efforts, he failed to achieve a breakthrough.
Known for carrying an American M4 carbine in Kabul, Haqqani used it as a symbol of his victory over the US. His death confirms the saying, “People who live by the gun, die by the gun,” a reality that echoes through the war-torn regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
