Islamabad, Oct. 19, (dpa/GNA) – The Taliban’s interior minister, a wanted global terrorist, hosted a reception for the relatives of suicide attackers, gave them money and promised them land.
If true, it was the first time Sirajuddin Haqqani has appeared in public since taking on the government role.
Haqqani welcomed the families of suicide attackers and paid tribute to the deceased as “martyrdom seekers” and “holy warriors” at an event held in a five-star hotel in Kabul, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
Ministry spokesman Qari Saeed Khosty also published pictures of the event on Twitter, although Haqqani appears blurred in the photographs or is shown only from behind.
Haqqani is the leader of the notorious Haqqani network and is wanted by the FBI, who have offered 10 million dollars as a reward for information leading to his arrest.
The Haqqani network, a guerrilla insurgent group that is also a branch of the Taliban, is responsible for complex and deadly attacks on international forces in Afghanistan and the government they supported until its collapse in August.
In his speech to the attackers’ relatives, Haqqani praised the bombers’ “sacrifices,” saying these had paved the way for the re-establishment of the Taliban government.
He called suicide attackers heroes of Islam and their homeland, according to the statement.
Haqqani also provided clothes and money for attackers’ families and announced they will receive land for houses.
Thousands of Afghans lost relatives in suicide attacks carried out by the network during the past two decades.
GNA