UPDATE 2- Acting Afghan minister, 6 others killed in Kabul explosion

UPDATES WITH CASUALTIES FIGURES, CHANGES IN HEADER, LEDE AND DECK

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) – Afghan acting Refugees and Repatriation Minister Khalil-ur-Rehman Haqqani was killed, along with six others, in an explosion inside his ministry building in central Kabul on Wednesday, Afghanistan’s local media reported.

Haqqani and six other people were killed, and several others injured in the blast, Tolo News reported, citing a Taliban spokesman.

Though the Khurasan terrorist group of ISIS/Daesh, previously involved in dozens of terrorist attacks in Afghanistan since the return of the Taliban in Kabul on August 21, has not immediately accepted responsibility for the ministry building attack.

Haqqani's nephew, Anas Haqqani, told reporters that the explosion occurred as the minister was leaving a mosque after offering afternoon prayers.

Earlier, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban administration's chief spokesman, told Anadolu that Haqqani was killed in an explosion at the Ministry of Refugee and Repatriation in Kabul.

However, he did not provide further details, such as nature of the blast or the number of casualties.

“We have received with great sadness the news that the Minister of Refugees of the Islamic Emirate, Alhaji Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani, was martyred this afternoon in a barbaric attack by the Kharijites (enemies),” said a statement issued by the Kabul police.

Haqqani, 58, was a prominent Taliban leader and the brother of the late Jalaluddin Haqqani, the founder of the Haqqani network, which was instrumental in the Taliban's two-decade war against US-led foreign forces in Afghanistan.

He was also the uncle of incumbent acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani.

The incident marked the first assassination of a sitting minister since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in Aug. 2021.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has expressed its condolences over Haqqani's death.

In a statement on X, Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s deputy foreign minister as well as foreign minister, said: “We are deeply shocked at the death of Acting Afghan Minister, Khalil ur Rehman Haqqani and loss of precious lives as a result of a terrorist attack in the Afghan Refugee Ministry in Kabul today.”

It continued: "Pakistan unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestation."