Kabul – February 17, 2025
The Taliban’s acting Minister of Interior and leader of the Haqqani Network, Sirajuddin Haqqani, has not returned to Afghanistan for the past 26 days.
A reliable Taliban source told BBC Pashto that Haqqani traveled to Saudi Arabia on January 23 but has yet to return. His prolonged absence comes amid growing reports of tensions between Taliban leaders in Kabul and Kandahar.
According to sources, the assassination of the Taliban’s Minister of Refugees, Khalil Rahman Haqqani, has further escalated divisions between Taliban factions in Kabul and Kandahar. As a result, several senior Taliban officials in Kabul are reportedly seeking to leave Afghanistan.
Despite these reports, Taliban officials have dismissed claims of serious internal disputes, insisting that such trips are merely for “tourism and relaxation.” However, Taliban officials who have left Afghanistan have yet to publicly comment on the nature of their travels.
