Taliban minister killed in suicide bombing in Afghanistan

Afghanistan's acting minister for refugees was killed on Wednesday in a suicide bombing in Kabul, according to the Taliban authorities, News.az reports citing Deutsche Welle.

While no group initially claimed responsibility for the attack, Taliban officials blamed it on the "Islamic State" (IS) group.

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.

News.Az