The United States has announced as much as $30 million in rewards for information leading to the location of five top commanders of the dreaded Haqqani Network (HQN) that has conducted numerous terrorist strikes in Afghanistan, including ones on the Indian mission.
Offered by the State Department under its “Rewards for Justice” programme, up to $5 million each will be given out for information on the whereabouts of Aziz Haqqani, Khalil al-Rahman Haqqani, Yahya Haqqani, and Abdul Rauf Zakir. And for information on group leader Sirajuddin Haqqani, the previous reward amount has been doubled to $10 million.
Formed in the late 1970s by Jalaluddin Haqqani, the group has been an ally of the al-Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban, besides cooperating with other terrorist organizations in the region. Based in North Waziristan, Pakistan, the HQN has been conducting cross-border attacks in eastern Afghanistan and Kabul, notably targeting International Security Assistance Force and Afghan personnel in Afghanistan.
The HQN has been held responsible for many high-profile attacks in Afghanistan, including the attacks on the Indian Embassy in Kabul in 2008 and 2009, and the 19-hour attack on the US Embassy in Kabul and the nearby ISAF headquarters in September 2011. The US designated the HQN as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in September 2012.
Sirajuddin Haqqani, son of founder Jalaluddin Haqqani, was designated by the Department of State as a “Global Terrorist” back in March 2008, after he admitted to planning the January 2008 attack on Kabul’s Serena Hotel that killed US citizen Thor David Hesla and five other people.
Sirajuddin’s brother, Aziz Haqqani, is said to be involved in logistical operations and command decisions involving cross-border attacks on ISAF and Afghan forces, while brother-in-law Yahya Haqqani handles the group’s operational, financial and propaganda activities and uncle Khalil al-Rahman Haqqani has raised funds for the Taliban and who has been linked to al-Qaeda terrorist operations.