Afghan Taliban Minister Khalil Rahman Haqqani, six others killed in blast; all you need to know

Afghan Taliban Minister: At least seven people died in an explosion in Afghanistan's Kabul including Taliban's acting minister for refugees, Khalil Rahman Haqqani.

"We lost a very brave Mujahid," his nephew Anas Haqqani told Reuters, using the Taliban's term for its fighters, meaning a holy warrior. "We will never forget him and his sacrifice."

He said the blast took place as Khalil Haqqani was leaving a mosque after afternoon prayers. However, it was not immediately clear who was behind the blast.

Ishaq Dar, the foreign minister of neighbouring Pakistan, said in a statement he was "shocked" by the attack."Pakistan unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," he said.

Khalil Haqqani became a minister in the Taliban's interim government following the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan in 2021. The U.S. State Department identifies him as a senior leader of the Haqqani network, a militant group responsible for significant attacks during the 20-year conflict.

Taliban rule in Afghanistan

The Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021 as foreign forces withdrew, vowing to restore security, but attacks have continued in urban areas.

In 2022, a blast took place near the interior ministry, led by Haqqani network leader Sirajuddin Haqqani, killing four people. In 2023, Islamic State claimed an attack outside the Taliban-run foreign ministry that killed at least five.

The U.S. Treasury classified Khalil Haqqani as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" in 2011 and the State Department offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest.