Taliban leaders are sitting on bombs. One went off.
Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani regarded himself as one of the “conquerors of Kabul.” He relished the media spotlight after the fall of the Islamic Republic and frequently sought out opportunities to pose for photos. Following the tradition of al-Qaeda leaders, Haqqani was always armed at public meetings, brandishing his rifle as a symbol of his jihadist aspirations. Even his vest resembled a military harness.
Today, he was killed in an explosion.
It is said that Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani did not shy away from violence against internal rivals in the early days of the Taliban’s rule. Reports that Haqqani punched Mullah Baradar in the face surfaced during early discussions about the structure of the Taliban government and its relationship with the world.
The Taliban’s strongmen, who seized control of the country through a campaign of murders, suicide attacks, and covert dealings with foreign intelligence agencies, believe that those tools are essential to maintaining power. Over the past three years, they have shown no inclination toward compromise or restraint from violence.
Not only do they resort to coercion against the people of Afghanistan, but they also manage their internal relations through threats and violence. They perceive their competitive edge in violence and are entirely focused on expanding it — establishing jihadist schools, training fighters, and creating suicide bombers. A fierce competition has emerged among Taliban leaders to build orphanages, madrasas, and jihadist centres. In the future, these forces will likely be used in the Taliban’s internal power struggles to eliminate rivals.
By imbedding the seeds of violence into society, they have driven the nation to the brink, while also paving the way for their own bloody demise. It is unlikely that Khalil Haqqani was killed by a non-Talib anti-fundamentalist. Instead, it’s assumed that he was taken down by one of the human bombs cultivated by the Taliban and other terrorist groups active in Afghanistan.
Daily, the Taliban’s internal rivalries intensify. It is probable that the flames of suicide attacks will soon reach the main Taliban leaders, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, Mullah Baradar, and Mullah Hibatullah.
The Taliban have closed schools and universities to half the population, destroyed even the minimal foundations that once existed for a peaceful and nonviolent society, and refuse to allow any cultural or civil outlet for the expression of people’s anger and suffering. The flames of this accumulated anguish will inevitably consume the Taliban leadership. Even if they survive their internal rivalries and the human bombs they have created, they will not escape the wrath of the people.
Younus Negah is a researcher and writer from Afghanistan who is currently in exile in Turkey.