Afghanistan: Blow to Haqqani network, blast in Kabul kills Taliban refugees minister Khalil Haqqani

A suicide bombing in the Afghan capital on Wednesday killed the Taliban refugee minister and two others, Interior Ministry officials said. The explosion struck inside the ministry, killing Khalil Haqqani, the refugee minister, officials said. Haqqani was the most high-profile casualty of a bombing in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power three years ago. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. Khalil Haqqani is the uncle of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the acting interior minister who leads a powerful network within the Taliban. The Islamic State group’s affiliate, a major rival of the ruling Taliban, has carried out previous attacks across Afghanistan.