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Badruddin Haqqani killed in air strike, it is confirmed

Both the American and Afghan officials believe that Badruddin was the mastermind of the attack on the Inter continental Hotel in Kabul in 2011. The Haqqanis network is blamed for the attack on Indian embassy as well. The group has shown little interest in negotiating with the Washington

There is now no room for doubt about the death of Badruddin Haqqani, son of the founder of the dreaded Haqqani network. The Afghan intelligence agency, National Directorate of Security has corroborated the version of Pakistani officials that Badruddin was killed in a drone hit on August 21.

A senior Taliban leader also confirmed the killing shortly the pre-dawn drone attack on a residential compound in Dandy Derpakhel village near Miramshah.  The compound used as a training centre for militants is adjacent to a large seminary set up by Badruddin’s father, Jalaluddin Haqqani, a close ally of al Qaeda.  At least 21 militants were killed in the strike.   

Only yesterday, Aug 25, the US drones fired six missiles on three separate compounds in Tundar village in North Waziristan, known as a bastion of Taliban and al Qaeda. The death toll is put at sixteen.  Officials said the area targeted was used by militants belonging to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Afghan Taliban allied with Haqqani network and Hafiz Gul Bahadur group.

The Taliban leadership has not come up with a conformation on Badruddin’s death. In fact, it is still in the denial mode. It is understandable. Badruddin is a high profile day-to-day operations commander of the Haqqani network particularly in southeastern Afghanistan and in Kabul. A member of the Miramshah based Haqqani Shura, he reportedly organised the 2008   kidnapping of New York Times journalist, David Rohde.

Badruddin and his elder brother Sirajuddin are running the Haqqani network since their father   effectively retired in 2005. Sirajuddin is the natural successor to fill the void.  He is already a hands on commander and actively aided his brother in expanding the network into kidnapping and extortion, both highly profitable for the organization, according to American terrorism experts.

As a former Afghan intelligence chief, Amrullah Saleh, now an opposition leader says, it is not important who succeeds Badruddin. What is important is whether the network’s ability to strike terror has been reduced.

“They are going to find another person to replace him….What I know is that his elder brother, Sirajuddin Haqqani, is playing a larger role ……,” Saleh told Afghanistan’s Tolo television. And added: Until the group’s ability to operate across Afghanistan and Pakistan is limited, “killing their commanders or leaders will have its effect, but not that large of an effect.”

Nonetheless Badruddin Haqqani’s death is a major blow to the Haqqani network. It is one of the most powerful militant groups operating in Afghanistan. It is also one of the biggest threats to Afghanistan’s long term stability since Pakistan considers them as its strategic asset.

Both the American and Afghan officials believe that Badruddin was the mastermind of the attack on the Inter continental Hotel in Kabul in 2011. The Haqqanis network is blamed for the attack on Indian embassy as well. The group has shown little interest in negotiating with the Washington.

Shafiqullah Tahriri, the spokesman for Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security, did not offer details on Badruddin Haqqani. He merely confirmed the death. Earlier   Pakistani officials said they were 90 per cent sure of the death.  Both are however clear that the death was a setback to the Haqqani network since, as Tahiri puts, he was the mastermind of the organized suicide attacks in Kabul.

The US State Department has designated Badruddin, along with his father Jalaluddin and brothers – Nasiruddin and Sirajuddin – as terrorists. Jalaluddin Haqqani was supported by US and Pakistan when he fought in the 1980s against Soviet troops occupying Afghanistan. Now, he considers Americans as his target, and for the American commanders he is a dangerous foe.

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