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Sirajuddin Haqqani

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Sirajuddin Haqqani
سِراج الدّين حقاني
Haqqani in 2022
ActingMinister of Interior Affairs
Assumed office
7 September 2021
DeputyIbrahim Sadr(acting)
Supreme LeaderHibatullah Akhundzada
Prime MinisterHasan Akhund(acting)
Preceded byIbrahim Sadr(acting)
FirstDeputy Leader of Afghanistan
Assumed office
15 August 2021
Supreme LeaderHibatullah Akhundzada
Preceded byAmrullah Saleh(as FirstVice President)
In exile
25 May 2016 – 15 August 2021
Supreme LeaderHibatullah Akhundzada
Preceded byHibatullah Akhundzada
Leader of theHaqqani network
Assumed command
2018
Preceded byJalaluddin Haqqani
SecondDeputy Leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
In exile
29 July 2015 – 25 May 2016
LeaderAkhtar Mansour
Preceded byAkhtar Mansour(2010)
Succeeded byMullah Yaqoob
Personal details
BornDecember 1979 (age 44)
AfghanistanorKhyber Pakhtunkhwa,Pakistan
RelationsKhalil Haqqani(uncle)
Anas Haqqani(brother)
Abdulaziz Haqqani(brother)
ParentJalaluddin Haqqani
Alma materDarul Uloom Haqqania
Political affiliationTaliban
Military service
AllegianceIslamic Emirate of Afghanistan
Branch/serviceHaqqani network
Years of service2000s–present
RankSupreme commander
Battles/warsWar on Terror
Afghan Civil War (1996–2001)
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Taliban insurgency
2021 Taliban offensive[1]
Islamic State–Taliban conflict[2]

Sirajuddin Haqqani(Pashto:سراج الدين حقاني,romanized:Sirāj al-Dīn Ḥaqqānī,Pashto pronunciation:[sɪrɑd͡ʒʊˈdinhaqɑˈni];aliasesKhalifa,and,Siraj Haqqani.born December 5, 1979) is an Afghan warlord andSpecially Designated Global Terroristwho is the firstdeputy leader of Afghanistanand the actinginterior ministerin the internationally unrecognized post-2021 Taliban regime. He has been a deputy leader of theTalibansince 2015, and was additionally appointed to his ministerial role after the Taliban's victory over Western-backed forces in the2001–2021 war.He has led theHaqqani network,a semi-autonomousparamilitaryarm of the Taliban, since inheriting it from his father in 2018, and has primarily had military responsibilities within the Taliban.[3][4][5][6]

As interior minister, he has control over much of the country's internal security forces. As deputy leader of the Taliban, he oversaw armed combat against American andcoalition forces,reportedly from a base withinNorth Waziristan DistrictinPakistan.[citation needed]Haqqani is currently wanted by the FBI for questioning due to his role in the2008 Kabul Serena Hotel attackand an attempted assassination of PresidentHamid Karzai,with theU.S. State Departmentdesignating him aSpecially Designated Global Terroristand offering a reward of $10 million for information about his location that will lead to his arrest.[7][8]

Early life and education[edit]

Sirajuddin Haqqani is the son ofJalaluddin Haqqani,aPashtunmujahidand military leader of pro-Talibanforces inAfghanistanandPakistan.

Born in December 1979, Sirajuddin, who has brothers from both of his father's wives (Jalaluddin having also married anArabwoman whose children live with her in theUnited Arab Emirates) grew up in Pakistan. Like his other siblings, he was initially homeschooled by his father before enrolling at theAnjuman Uloom Al-Qur’an,amadrasainKhyber Pakhtunkhwa,in 1984, at the age of 5.[9]

He spent his childhood inMiramshah,North Waziristan,Pakistan,and later attendedDarul Uloom Haqqania,an influentialDeobandiIslamic seminary inAkora Khattak,Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,Pakistan, known to have produced many graduates who ultimately joined the Taliban.[10]The nameHaqqaniitself was taken from theDarul Uloom Haqqania,attended by many leading figures of the Haqqani network.[11][12]

His younger brother Mohammad Haqqani, also a member of the network, died in a drone attack on February 18, 2010, in Dande Darpakhel, a village in North Waziristan.[13]Other brothers who died include Nasiruddin, Badruddin and Omar. Among the brothers alive,Abdulaziz Haqqani,is also highly influential in the Haqqani Network and currently functions as his deputy whileAnas Haqqanihas some political and militant influence as well.

Activities[edit]

Militancy[edit]

Haqqani has admitted planning the January 14, 2008 attack against the Serena Hotel inKabulthat killed six people, including American citizen Thor David Hesla.[8]Haqqani confessed his organization and direction of the planning of an attempt to assassinateHamid Karzai,planned for April 2008.[4][8]His forces have been accused by coalition forces of carrying out the late December 2008 bombing in Kabul at a barracks near an elementary school that killed several schoolchildren, an Afghan soldier, and an Afghan guard; no coalition personnel were affected.[citation needed]

In November 2008,New York TimesreporterDavid S. Rohdewas kidnapped in Afghanistan. His initial captors are believed to have been solely interested in a ransom. Sirajuddin Haqqani is reported to have been Rohde's last captor prior to his escape.[14]

Several reports indicated that Haqqani was targeted in a massive U.S. drone attack on February 2, 2010,[15]but that he was not present in the area affected by the attack.[16]

In March 2010, Haqqani was described as one of the leaders on the "Taliban's Quetta Shura".[17]Sirajuddin Haqqani's deputy,Sangeen Zadran,was killed by aUS drone strikeon 5 September 2013.[18]

Haqqani was appointed the seconddeputy leader of the Islamic Emirate of AfghanistanbyLeaderAkhtar Mansourupon the latter's election on 29 July 2015. He was elevated to the position of first deputy leader whenHibatullah Akhundzada,who was the first deputy under Mansour, assumed the leadership on 25 May 2016.[19][20][21][22][23]

Jalaluddin Haqqani died in 2018 after a long illness and Sirajuddin became the leader of the Haqqani network, though Jalaluddin may have turned over operational control as early as 2008.[24][25][12]

On May 31, 2020, British Taliban expert Antonio Guistozzi toldForeign Policythat Sirajuddin Haqqani was infected withCOVID-19,which resulted in him being absent from the group's leadership mix.[26]

Taliban government since 2021[edit]

When the Talibanretook control of the country in August 2021,the leader of the Islamic Emirate became Afghanistan'sde factoruler andhead of state,and the deputy leader became the country's second-most-powerful position.[27][21][28]Haqqani was appointed the actinginterior minister of Afghanistanin theCaretaker Cabinet of the Islamic Emirateon 7 September.[29]

Haqqani gave his first ever on-camera interview in May 2022, withChristiane Amanpourin Kabul. Following the interview, he was described by Amanpour as the "heir" to Akhundzada in his capacity as deputy leader and "the most powerful member, frankly, of the current government, and indeed in the Taliban movement" due to Akhundzada's isolation in Kandahar.[28]In the interview, Haqqani acknowledged concern by the international community over thetreatment of women by the Taliban,and claimed women's rights would be respected, despite recent crackdowns, including an abrupt closure of secondary schools for girls and a decree requiring women to wear full-body coverings when in public. He claimed the schools would reopen once dress code issues were resolved, and said the veil decree was only advisory, despite evidence to the contrary. Haqqani also said the Taliban wants goodrelations with the United Statesand theinternational community,and no longer sees the U.S. as an enemy.[30][31][32][33]

In February 2023, Haqqani issued a rare rebuke of the government's hardline policies, which was widely interpreted as a criticism aimed at Akhundzada, who has governed in an increasingly autocratic and ultraconservative fashion. Speaking at a religious school inKhost Province,he said: "Monopolizing power and hurting the reputation of the entire system are not to our benefit... more responsibility has been placed on our shoulders and it requires patience and good behavior and engagement with the people." Government spokesmanZabihullah Mujahidindirectly reacted by saying criticism of the emir should be made in private, without naming Haqqani.[34]

Writings[edit]

In 2010, Haqqani released a 144-pagePashto-language book, a training manual entitledMilitary Lessons for the Benefit of the Mujahedeen,where he appears more radical than the Talibans, as it shows influences fromal-Qaida,supporting beheading and suicide bombings while legitimizing targeting the West, asking Muslims there to "blend in, shave, wear Western dress, be patient."[35]Writing in November 2011, an analyst said some 10,000 copies of the book were printed and distributed in Afghanistan and Pakistan in a single month, describing Haqqani’s work as being "printed on high-quality paper, with black-and-white photos and solidly bound, the manual for guerrillas and terrorists opens with directions for how to set up a jihadi cell, how to obtain financing, how to recruit members, and how to train them", also containing details about deadly weapons, how to make and use explosive devices and which infrastructure to target, such as railroad tracks, bridges and more.[36]

WhenAkhtar Mansourwas elected as the new leader of the Taliban in 2015, a communication was posted quoting Sirajuddin Haqqani: "My particular recommendation to all members of the Islamic Emirate is to maintain their internal unity and discipline."[37]

Sirajuddin Haqqani wrote an opinion piece titled "What We, the Taliban, Want", which appeared inThe New York Timeson February 20, 2020.[38]

References[edit]

  1. ^Joscelyn, Thomas (25 June 2021)."Taliban's deputy emir issues guidance for governance in newly seized territory".FDD's Long War Journal.Archivedfrom the original on 19 July 2021.Retrieved19 July2021.
  2. ^"Afghanistan Faces Tough Battle as Haqqanis Unify the Taliban - ABC News".ABC News.8 May 2016. Archived fromthe originalon 8 May 2016.
  3. ^Islamabad BoysArchived14 February 2010 at theWayback Machine,The New Republic, 27 January 2010
  4. ^abThe National Counter-Terrorism Centre.Profile.published by The National Counter-Terrorism Centre.Archivedfrom the original on 12 October 2014.Retrieved10 November2015.
  5. ^Hayes, Edward (RetiredArmy IntelligenceOfficer(23 August 2015)."Counter Terror: The Ghost Death of Mullah Omar and Crisis: Mansour versus Caliph al-Baghdadi".Counter Terrorism Lectures and Consulting. Archived fromthe originalon 14 October 2017.
  6. ^Mehsud, Saleem (23 October 2015)."Kunduz Breakthrough Bolsters Mullah Mansoor as Taliban Leader".CTC Sentinel.Vol. 8, no. 10. Combating Terrorism Centre of Westpoint.Archivedfrom the original on 17 November 2015.
  7. ^Fink, Jenni (7 September 2021)."Sirajuddin Haqqani, Afghanistan Cabinet Member, Wanted by FBI, $10 Million Reward Offered".Newsweek.
  8. ^abc"Wanted: Sirajuddun Haqqani".Retrieved28 August2021.
  9. ^Yusufzai, Arshad (7 March 2022)."Sirajuddin Haqqani, feared and secretive Taliban figure, reveals face in rare public appearance".Arab News.
  10. ^ur-Rehman, Zia (25 November 2021)."Where Afghanistan's New Taliban Leaders Went to School".The New York Times.
  11. ^"Haqqani Militants Act Like Pakistan's Protected Partners".The New York Times.7 September 2021.
  12. ^ab"Haqqani Network".Mapping Militant Organizations.Stanford University. 8 November 2017.
  13. ^Shah, Pir Zubair (19 February 2010)."Missile Kills Militant Commander's Brother in Pakistan".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on 22 February 2010.Retrieved19 February2010.
  14. ^Matthew Cole (22 June 2009)."The David Rohde Puzzle".New York.Archivedfrom the original on 26 June 2009.Retrieved1 July2009.
  15. ^Shahzad, Syed Saleem (5 February 2010)."US fires off new warning in Pakistan".Asia Times Online.Archived from the original on 7 February 2010.Retrieved4 February2010.{{cite news}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  16. ^"Sources: Drone strikes kill 29 in Pakistan".CNN. 2 February 2010.Archivedfrom the original on 3 February 2010.Retrieved2 February2010.
  17. ^Amir Mir (1 March 2010)."Pakistan wipes out half of Quetta Shura".The News International.Archivedfrom the original on 9 March 2010.Retrieved4 March2010.The remaining nine members of the Quetta Shura who are still at large are believed to be Mullah Hassan Rehmani, the former governor of Kandahar province in Taliban regime; Hafiz Abdul Majeed, the former chief of the Afghan Intelligence and the surge commander of the Taliban in southern Afghanistan; Amir Khan Muttaqi, a former minister in Taliban regime; Agha Jan Mutasim, the Taliban's head of political affairs; Mullah Abdul Jalil, the head of the Taliban's shadowy interior ministry, Sirajuddin Haqqani, the son of Maulvi Jalaluddin Haqqani and the commander of the Haqqani militant network; Mullah Abdul Latif Mansoor, the commander of the Mansoor network in Paktika and Khost; Mullah Abdur Razaq Akhundzada, the former corps commander for northern Afghanistan; and Abdullah Mutmain, a former minister during the Taliban regime who currently looks after the financial affairs of the extremist militia.
  18. ^Rehman, Zia Ur (13 September 2013)'A great blow'Archived2019-02-03 at theWayback Machinethefridaytimes
  19. ^Goldstein, Joseph (4 October 2015)."Taliban's New Leader Strengthens His Hold With Intrigue and Battlefield Victory".The New York Times.Kabul.Retrieved20 May2022.
  20. ^Sofuoglu, Murat (27 September 2021)."How the Taliban governs itself".TRT World.Retrieved11 February2022.
  21. ^abSayed, Abdul (8 September 2021)."Analysis: How Are the Taliban Organized?".Voice of America.Retrieved20 May2022.
  22. ^Jones, Seth G. (December 2020)."Afghanistan's Future Emirate? The Taliban and the Struggle for Afghanistan".CTC Sentinel.13(11).Combating Terrorism Center.Archived fromthe originalon 11 February 2022.Retrieved11 February2022.
  23. ^Azami, Dawood (25 May 2016)."Mawlawi Hibatullah: Taliban's new leader signals continuity".BBC World News.Retrieved20 May2022.
  24. ^Sayed, Abdul; Clarke, Colin P. (4 November 2021)."With Haqqanis at the Helm, the Taliban Will Grow Even More Extreme".Foreign Policy.Retrieved25 January2022.
  25. ^Tanzeem, Ayesha (4 September 2018)."Haqqani Network Founder Dies After Long Illness".Voice of America.Kabul.Retrieved20 May2022.
  26. ^"Taliban Leadership in Disarray on Verge of Peace Talks".Foreign Policy.29 May 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 7 June 2020.Retrieved7 June2020.
  27. ^Faulkner, Charlie (3 September 2021)."Spiritual leader is Afghanistan's head of state — with bomb suspect set to be PM".The Times.Retrieved19 May2022.
  28. ^abCNN International PR [@cnnipr](16 May 2022)."In an exclusive interview CNN's chief international anchor @amanpour spoke with one of the Taliban's top leaders Sirajuddin Haqqani"(Tweet). Retweeted byChristiane Amanpour.Kabul.Retrieved19 May2022– viaTwitter.{{cite web}}:|author1=has generic name (help)
  29. ^"Taliban announce new government for Afghanistan".BBC News.7 September 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 7 September 2021.Retrieved7 September2021.
  30. ^Shelley, Jo; Popalzai, Ehsan; Mengli, Ahmet; Picheta, Rob (19 May 2022)."Top Taliban leader makes more promises on women's rights but quips 'naughty women' should stay home".CNN.Kabul.Retrieved20 May2022.
  31. ^"Taliban to Enforce Hijab Decree Despite Protests".Voice of America.10 May 2022.Retrieved20 May2022.
  32. ^Gul, Ayaz (17 May 2022)."Taliban Leader Indicates Reopening Girls' Schools Depends on Dress Codes".Voice of America.Islamabad, Pakistan.Retrieved20 May2022.
  33. ^Safi, Zameer (19 May 2022)."Haqqani: 'We Are Not Forcing Women to Wear Hijab'".TOLOnews.Retrieved20 May2022.
  34. ^Faiez, Rahim (15 February 2023)."Ruling Taliban display rare division in public over bans".Associated Press.Islamabad, Pakistan.Retrieved17 February2023.
  35. ^Abubakar Siddique,The Pashtun Question: The Unresolved Key to the Future of Pakistan and Afghanistan,Hurst, 2014, p. 173
  36. ^Moreau, Ron (14 November 2011)."Afghanistan: Haqqani's Jihad Manual & the Secret Taliban Letter".Newsweek.
  37. ^"Taliban power struggle breaks out in wake of news of Mullah Omar's death".The Chicago Tribune.2 August 2015.Archivedfrom the original on 21 November 2015.Retrieved10 November2015.
  38. ^Haqqani, Sirajuddin (20 February 2020)."Opinion | What We, the Taliban, Want".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved3 August2022.

External links[edit]

Political offices
Vacant
Title last held by
Akhtar Mansour(2010)
– In exile –
SecondDeputy Leader of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

2015–2016
withHibatullah Akhundzada
Served under:Akhtar Mansour
Succeeded by
Preceded by FirstDeputy Leader of Afghanistan
2021–present
In exile
2016–2021
withMullah Yaqoob
Abdul Ghani Baradar
Served under:Hibatullah Akhundzada
Incumbent
Preceded by
Ibrahim Sadr
(Acting)
ActingInterior Minister of Afghanistan
2021–present
Military offices
Preceded by Leader of theHaqqani network
2018–present
Incumbent