Sirajuddin Haqqani appears before media for 1st time; attends Kabul police academy event

In his first-ever media appearance, Sirajuddin Haqqani - Taliban's Interior Minister and head of the 'Haqqani (terror) network' attended the police graduation ceremony at Kabul Police Academy on Saturday. Addressing the event, Haqqani reminded police to treat people professionally as every citizen was protected under the Taliban's amnesty, reported TOLO news. Haqqani - one of FBI's most wanted terrorists - carries a bounty of $10 million.

Haqqani appears in front of media

"You should treat the people professionally and well according to the amnesty decree. Islamic Emirate is not a threat to any country and will not face any threat from Afghanistan," said Haqqani. He also called on those who have left the country to return assuring that they face no threat from the Taliban, reported TOLO news. Amid severe backlash from the West over curbing women's rights, he noted that a number of women had graduated from the police academy, adding that they will be assigned to work.

Who is Haqqani?

Sirajuddin Haqqani - heads the 'Haqqani Network' which is primarily based in North Waziristan, Pakistan, and conducts cross-border operations into eastern Afghanistan and Kabul, as per US Director of national intelligence's site. The Haqqani Network is responsible for high-profile attacks like - June 2011 assault on the Kabul Intercontinental Hotel, suicide bombings—in 2008 and 2009—against the Indian Embassy in Kabul and 2011 attack on US Embassy, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) headquarters, the Afghan Presidential Palace in Kabul. Haqqani & his network has been designated as a terrorist in 2012 because of their ties to the Taliban and al-Qa‘ida. After Taliban took over Afghanistan, he was appointed as Interior Minister of Afghanistan - irking the US. 

Taliban takes over Afghanistan

Taliban took over Afghanistan in a similar military attack on August 15, 2021 - after major cities like Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Jalalabad and Lashkar Gah fell without resistance as US troops retreat after 20 years from war-torn Afghanistan. The hasty withdrawal of the US troops saw thousands of people attempting to flee from Afghanistan with several clinging to a departing US plane's wheels, leading to them falling to their deaths. With Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar heading the govt, the regime has imposed strict rules in accordance to Sharia, curtailing women's rights, children's education, hunger, poverty and economic decline. Except China and Pakistan, other nations have refused to recognised the Taliban-controlled govt.