RASC News Agency: According to reports leaked from informed sources, Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s Interior Minister and leader of the notorious Haqqani Network, recently conducted a clandestine trip to Pakistan’s North Waziristan, where he engaged in a five-hour secret meeting with senior Pakistani military and intelligence officials.
The revelations come amid escalating tensions within the Taliban, particularly between Haqqani and the supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada. Recent rumors suggested Haqqani’s resignation from the Ministry of Interior, highlighting the factional divisions that continue to undermine the Taliban’s fragile authority.
Sources close to Haqqani report that his journey began in Gurbuz district of Khost province, from where he traveled to Miranshah in North Waziristan. There, he met with a delegation of Pakistani intelligence and military officials in Dand-e-Darba Khel. The meeting was conducted under high security, with Pakistani forces imposing severe restrictions on local movement and establishing a seven-hour protective perimeter for Haqqani a clear indication of both the strategic importance of the visit and the ongoing influence Pakistan wields over the Taliban.
Investigative outlet Zawiya News further reported that during this trip, Haqqani attended the inauguration of a newly constructed madrasa and mosque in Dand-e-Darba Khel. More concerning, however, are reports suggesting Haqqani coordinated with Pakistani intelligence on the establishment of a training facility linked to suicide operations. This reveals that the Haqqani Network’s lethal infrastructure remains operational and continues to benefit from Islamabad’s covert support.
Accompanying Haqqani were his brother Anas and several trusted aides, signaling the high-level and operational significance of the mission. Military and security analysts argue that the encounter will likely strengthen the Haqqani Network’s strategic alignment with Pakistani intelligence while shaping the Taliban’s tactical and political activities in Afghanistan in the months ahead.
The timing of the visit is particularly notable. Haqqani has been at odds with Akhundzada over key policy disputes, including the Taliban’s nationwide internet shutdown and the hardline ban on girls’ education. Known as the Taliban’s “suicide war machine” during the two-decade conflict, Haqqani now appears to be maneuvering to consolidate his network’s autonomy and operational independence from the central Taliban leadership in Kandahar.
Details of the discussions remain undisclosed, but Haqqani’s rumored resignation underscores the internal volatility within the Taliban. Some sources suggest he has already submitted his resignation to Kandahar and is awaiting Akhundzada’s response. Atif Mokhtar, a Taliban-linked figure residing abroad, told outlets including Cactus News that Haqqani “formally submitted his resignation to Hibatullah but has yet to receive a reply.”
This episode highlights Pakistan’s persistent role in influencing Taliban internal affairs and sustaining the Haqqani Network a relationship that continues to fuel instability and insecurity in Afghanistan. Observers warn that such clandestine ties not only erode any semblance of governance under the Taliban but also exacerbate regional security threats, with potential repercussions for neighboring states and global counterterrorism efforts.
In essence, Haqqani’s secretive visit underscores the Taliban’s inability to govern independently, their reliance on external patronage, and the ongoing use of Afghanistan’s territory as a platform for transnational terrorism a stark reminder that Afghanistan under Taliban rule remains a major threat to regional and global stability.
