US Removes $10 Million Reward for Taliban Leader Sirajuddin Haqqani
The United States has reportedly withdrawn a $10 million reward offer for information leading to the arrest of Sirajuddin Haqqani, a prominent Taliban leader, according to an Afghan interior ministry spokesperson on Saturday. The FBI’s website, however, still lists the reward, describing Haqqani as someone who “coordinated and participated in cross-border attacks against United States and coalition forces in Afghanistan.”
The US State Department has not yet commented on the reported removal of the reward. This development follows the Taliban’s release of an American citizen, George Glezmann, who had been detained in Afghanistan for over two years. Glezmann, a Delta Airlines mechanic from Atlanta, was freed after direct negotiations between US hostage envoy Adam Boehler and Taliban officials in Kabul. He left Afghanistan aboard a Qatari aircraft on Thursday evening, heading to Qatar.
Sirajuddin Haqqani, who serves as the interior minister in the Taliban-led government, is a key figure within the Taliban and heads the Haqqani network, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the US. The network has been accused of carrying out numerous attacks against foreign and Afghan forces during the two-decade-long conflict in Afghanistan. Despite this, the Taliban maintains that there are no separate factions within their organization.
Haqqani’s public appearances have been rare and carefully controlled. He was among the first senior Taliban leaders to enter Kabul in August 2021 but remained largely out of the spotlight for months. While he has met with foreign dignitaries and Taliban officials, photographs from these meetings have often been blurred. His first public appearance occurred in March 2022, marking a significant moment in his otherwise discreet presence.
The Haqqani network, led by Sirajuddin, has long been a target of US counterterrorism efforts. The group’s activities have included high-profile attacks and kidnappings, making Haqqani a wanted figure for the FBI. The $10 million reward for his capture had been a symbol of the US government’s determination to bring him to justice.
Sirajuddin Haqqani is the son of Jalauddin Haqqani, a Mujahideen leader who fought against Soviet forces in the 1980s. Jalauddin later joined the Taliban and served as a minister in the previous Taliban government before his death.
The removal of the reward, if confirmed, could signal a shift in US policy toward the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan, though the implications of this move remain unclear.
