The United States has removed multimillion-dollar bounties on key leaders of Afghanistan’s Haqqani militant network, including the Taliban's current Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, while keeping them on its list of “specially designated global terrorists.”
Taliban Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani confirmed the removal of rewards for Sirajuddin Haqqani, Abdul Aziz Haqqani, and Yahya Haqqani. Sirajuddin Haqqani, who also leads the Haqqani network, previously had a $10 million bounty on his head.
The US State Department clarified that while the bounty has been scrapped, the three men remain designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs), and the Haqqani network continues to be listed as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has also removed the bounty notice from its website.
A State Department spokesperson stated that the US policy involves consistent review and refinement of the Rewards for Justice program, which offers monetary rewards for information on high-profile targets.
The move comes days after the first US officials’ visit to Afghanistan since Donald Trump returned to office and follows the Taliban’s release of a US citizen.
Observers suggest that the removal of the bounties could be a diplomatic gesture toward Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is seen as a more moderate alternative to hardline figures within the Taliban government. Haqqani has made international trips despite US sanctions and travel bans.
The Taliban government, which remains unrecognized by any country, has expressed hopes for improved relations with the Trump administration. The former US president had previously signed a peace deal with the Taliban in 2020, paving the way for the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Taliban Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani confirmed the removal of rewards for Sirajuddin Haqqani, Abdul Aziz Haqqani, and Yahya Haqqani. Sirajuddin Haqqani, who also leads the Haqqani network, previously had a $10 million bounty on his head.
The US State Department clarified that while the bounty has been scrapped, the three men remain designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs), and the Haqqani network continues to be listed as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has also removed the bounty notice from its website.
A State Department spokesperson stated that the US policy involves consistent review and refinement of the Rewards for Justice program, which offers monetary rewards for information on high-profile targets.
The move comes days after the first US officials’ visit to Afghanistan since Donald Trump returned to office and follows the Taliban’s release of a US citizen.
Observers suggest that the removal of the bounties could be a diplomatic gesture toward Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is seen as a more moderate alternative to hardline figures within the Taliban government. Haqqani has made international trips despite US sanctions and travel bans.
The Taliban government, which remains unrecognized by any country, has expressed hopes for improved relations with the Trump administration. The former US president had previously signed a peace deal with the Taliban in 2020, paving the way for the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
