The Afghan Minister for Refugees, Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani, was killed in a suicide bombing at the Ministry’s offices in Kabul on Wednesday, according to a government source who spoke to AFP. The official confirmed that Haqqani, along with several colleagues, was martyred in the explosion. The attack was attributed to a suicide bomber.

Haqqani, who was on the U.S. sanctions list, was known for carrying an automatic weapon and was the brother of Jalaluddin Haqqani, founder of the notorious Haqqani network, which has been behind some of the deadliest attacks during the Taliban’s insurgency. He was also the uncle of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the current Taliban interior minister. The Haqqani family is believed to be involved in a power struggle within the Taliban leadership, with some factions supporting a more pragmatic approach while others follow the strict interpretation of Islamic law associated with the Taliban’s supreme leader.

Several senior Taliban figures, including governors, commanders, and religious leaders, have been killed since the group’s return to power, many in attacks claimed by the Islamic State group.

Though violence has decreased since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021, the regional branch of Islamic State, known as Islamic State Khorasan, remains active and has frequently targeted civilians, foreigners, and Taliban officials with bombings and gun attacks.