Afghan refugees minister killed by suicide blast: govt source

The Afghan minister for refugees was killed on Wednesday in a suicide explosion at the ministry's offices in the capital Kabul, a government source told AFP.

"Unfortunately an explosion happened at the Ministry of Refugees and minister Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani has been martyred along with some of his colleagues," the official said, requesting not to be named.

He added that the explosion was caused by a suicide blast.

Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani -- who is on the US sanctions list and never appears without an automatic weapon in his hand -- was the brother of Jalaluddin Haqqani, who founded the feared Haqqani network responsible for some of the most violent attacks during the Taliban's two-decade insurgency.

He was also the uncle of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the current interior minister.

The Haqqanis are said to be engaged in a struggle for influence within the Taliban authorities.

According to press reports, they are pitted as a pragmatic faction up against supporters of the severe interpretation of Islamic law in line with the Taliban's supreme leader based in Kandahar.

Several senior Taliban leaders have been killed since their return to power, including provincial governors, commanders and religious clerics, mostly in attacks claimed by the Islamic State group.

Violence has waned in Afghanistan since the Taliban forces took over the country in 2021, ending their war against the United States and Nato-led foreign forces.

However the regional chapter of Islamic State, known as Islamic State Khorasan, is active in Afghanistan and has regularly targeted civilians, foreigners and Taliban officials with gun and bomb attacks.