Afghanistan Times
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KABUL — The assassination of Taliban Minister Khalil-Ur-Rahman Haqqani in a Kabul suicide bombing on Wednesday has heightened fears of the Islamic State’s growing presence in Afghanistan. The attack, claimed by IS-Khorasan (IS-K), also killed several staff members.
Haqqani, 58, is the highest-profile Taliban official killed by IS-K since the group’s rise under Taliban rule. IS-K has previously targeted senior officials, including governors of Balkh and Badakhshan provinces, undermining Taliban claims of defeating the group.
The attack dominated a U.N. Security Council meeting Thursday, where representatives from the U.S., China, and Russia raised concerns over IS-K’s expansion and its destabilizing impact on Afghanistan and the region.
A U.S. report on terrorism echoed the concerns, citing IS-K’s exploitation of weak security and socioeconomic instability. Despite Taliban efforts to curb the group, critics say their response remains inadequate to contain Afghanistan’s growing terror threat.
