Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani attended a recent security meeting in Kandahar chaired by Taliban supreme leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada.
Haqqani briefed Akhundzada during the meeting, which also included Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid and Intelligence Chief Abdul Haq Wasiq.
Deputy Defence Minister Abdul Qayyum Zakir and Deputy Interior Minister Nabi Omari also attended.
Mujahid said the meeting reviewed proposals from security institutions and issued directives regarding their operations and strategic direction. He added that decisions were taken to improve public order, equip security forces, and enhance their capabilities.
The exact timing of the meeting was not disclosed.
This is the first public confirmation by Mujahid of Haqqani’s participation in a Taliban leadership meeting since reports surfaced of internal tensions. Haqqani had been notably absent from such meetings and from his office in Kabul for at least two months.
The announcement follows recent reports that the US removed a $10 million bounty on Haqqani, a move viewed as a diplomatic victory that may have enabled his return to active participation in Taliban leadership discussions.
