Following the US State Department’s removal of Sirajuddin Haqqani from its most-wanted list, the FBI has withdrawn the $10 million reward previously offered for his capture. However, Haqqani remains listed as a global terrorist on the FBI’s website.
Initially, the FBI offered a $5 million reward for information leading to Haqqani’s capture. After the Taliban retook Afghanistan in 2021, the reward increased to $10 million.
Sirajuddin Haqqani currently serves as the Taliban’s interior minister. He is widely regarded as the second-most powerful figure within the Taliban, after leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.
On Saturday, the US State Department removed Haqqani’s name from its Rewards for Justice programme. Despite this, the FBI had initially maintained the reward on its site before removing it entirely.
Haqqani is described by the FBI as a senior leader of the Haqqani Network with strong ties to al-Qaeda. He has been directly implicated in numerous terrorist attacks, including the deadly 2008 assault on a Kabul hotel that killed six people, including an American citizen.
The FBI also linked Haqqani to cross-border attacks on US and coalition forces, and the attempted assassination of former Afghan President Hamid Karzai in 2008.
The State Department confirmed to Afghanistan International on Monday that Haqqani and the Haqqani Network remain designated as terrorists. However, it stated that the reward for his capture has been withdrawn.
