Some of the top Taliban leaders are gathering in Kabul to discuss the formation of a new Afghan government – including a representative of the Haqqani network, the country’s most feared militants.
Haqqani has been blamed for some of the deadliest attacks in recent years, which have claimed the lives of civilians, government officials and foreign forces.
Despite his reputation, he is expected to be a powerful player in the new regime after the Taliban took over Afghanistan last week.
Who are the Haqqanis?
The shadowy group was formed by Jalaluddin Haqqani, who rose to prominence in the 1980s as a hero of anti-Soviet jihad. At the time, she was a valuable CIA asset as the United States and its allies such as Pakistan had given arms and money to the Mujahideen.
During that conflict and after the Soviet withdrawal, Jalaluddin Haqqani formed close ties with foreign jihadists, including Osama bin Laden.
He later formed an alliance with the Taliban, who occupied Afghanistan in 1996, serving as minister to the Islamic regime until it was toppled by US-led forces in 2001.
The death of Jalaluddin Haqqani was announced by the Taliban in 2018 after a prolonged illness, and his son Sirajuddin formally became the head of the network.
Thanks to their financial and military prowess – and a reputation for brutality – the Haqqani network is considered semi-autonomous while remaining within the Taliban’s purview.
Based primarily in eastern Afghanistan – with alleged bases across the border in Pakistan’s northwest – the group became more visible in recent years under the Taliban leadership, and Sirajuddin Haqqani was appointed deputy leader in 2015.
His younger brother Anas, who was once jailed and sentenced to death by the previous Afghan government, has held talks with former President Hamid Karzai and former chief executive Abdullah Abdullah since the fall of Kabul last weekend .
Why are they so widely feared?
The Haqqani network has been blamed for some of the deadliest and most shocking attacks in Afghanistan during the past two decades.
They have been designated a foreign terrorist group by the United States, and are also under UN sanctions.
The Haqqanis have a reputation for frequently using suicide bombers – including drivers in cars and trucks heavily loaded with explosives – and have demonstrated the ability to conduct complex, high-casualty attacks on key targets, including military installations and embassies. .
According to the US National Counter Terrorism Center, in October 2013, Afghan forces intercepted a Haqqani truck in eastern Afghanistan containing approximately 28 tons (61,500 lb) of explosives.
Haqqani has been charged with murder – including an attempt against then-President Karzai in 2008 – and kidnapping of officials and Western citizens, forcing ransoms and exchanging prisoners.
He is also suspected of ties with the long-standing Pakistani military establishment – US Admiral Mike Mullen described him as a “true hand” of Islamabad’s intelligence in 2011.
Pakistan has denied the allegation.
The UN monitor said in a June report that Haqqani also contributed greatly to the Taliban’s fighter ranks, and is the group’s “most battle-ready forces”.
The monitor also described the network as a “primary link” between the Taliban and al-Qaeda.
What is their role in the new Taliban regime?
Haqqani has emerged as a serious player in the Taliban’s political project, with at least two of their leaders in Kabul as talks begin to form the next government.
Analysts say Sirajuddin Haqqani was formally promoted to the rank of deputy leader six years ago.
And the release of his brother Anas from Afghan custody in 2019 was seen as a step to help launch direct US-Taliban talks, which eventually led to the withdrawal of the military.
Sirajuddin Haqqani also wrote an op-ed in The New York Times last year, outlining the Taliban’s position on US talks and the conflict in Afghanistan – albeit in diplomatic tones that bemoaned the network’s violent reputation.
While Anas Haqqani spoke to Karzai, his uncle Khaleel Haqqani was seen offering prayers in Kabul on Friday.
Both Sirajuddin and Khaleel are still listed as wanted by the United States, with a bounty of millions of dollars on offer.
read all breaking newshandjob breaking news And coronavirus news Here
.