Sirajuddin Haqqani
Sirajuddin Haqqani
سراج الدين حقاني |
|
---|---|
File:Sirajuddin Haqqani.jpg
Video still of Sirajuddin Haqqani during an interview
|
|
Born | c. 1973, 1977, or 1978 Afghanistan |
Allegiance | Haqqani network Taliban |
Years of service | 2000's to present |
Rank | Deputy leader of the Taliban[1] |
Battles/wars | War on Terror: |
Relations | Jalaluddin Haqqani (father) |
Sirajuddin Haqqani (Arabic: سراج الدين حقاني aliases Khalifa, and, Siraj Haqqani. born c. 1973 [2] or 1977/78 [3]) is of Pashtun origin and a warlord (Dari: jang salaran [4][5]) and military leader hailing from Afghanistan, who is in armed combat against American and coalition forces, supposedly (at the last report) from a base within North Waziristan in Pakistan, from which, it is claimed, he provides shelter to (so-called) Al Qaeda operatives. Sirajuddin Haqqani is leader of the Haqqani network, a sub-set of the Taliban organisation, and scion of the Haqqani clan.[6][7][8][9]
Contents
Name
Sirajuddin and Siraj
The Arabic of the English translation, Sirajuddin, is سيرجيودن. According to one source, which provides the translation within Urdu, the name has the meaning lamp of the religion.[10] The name Siraj, converted to Arabic, is سِرَاج, which similarly has the meaning of any object which produces light, or light itself, i.e. a cresset, lamp, a candle, or again, light itself, and accordingly, the sun. Siraj is a Quranic name, in that it is used four times within the holy Quran, and the word is also used to describe the prophet Mohammad.[11]
Haqqani
The Arabic conversion of Haqqani is حقانی, which apparently means something or someone, correct, right or proper.[12]
Family life
Sirajuddin Haqqani is the son of Jalaluddin Haqqani, a well-known mujahideen and military leader of pro-Taliban forces in Afghanistan and Pakistan. His younger brother Mohammad Haqqani, also a member of the network, died in a drone attack on February 18, 2010. The attack was conducted in Dande Darpakhel, a village in North Waziristan.[13]
Sirajuddin Haqqani's deputy, Sangeen Zadran, was killed by an US drone strike on 5 September 2013.[14]
Activities
Serena Hotel
Haqqani has admitted planning the January 14, 2008 attack against the Serena Hotel in Kabul that killed six people, including American citizen Thor David Hesla.[15]
Assassination attempt
Haqqani confessed his organization and direction of the planning of an attempt to assassinate Hamid Karzai, planned for April 2008.[7][15]
Elementary school
His forces have been accused by coalition forces of carrying out the late-December 2008 bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan at an Afghan elementary school near an Afghan barracks that killed several schoolchildren, an Afghan soldier, and an Afghan guard; no coalition personnel were affected.
Journalist hostage
In November 2008 New York Times reporter David S. Rohde was kidnapped in Afghanistan. His initial captors are believed to have been solely interested in a ransom. Sirajuddin Haqqani is reported to have been Rohde's last captor prior to his escape.[16]
Drones
Several reports indicated that Haqqani was targeted in a massive U.S. drone attack on February 2, 2010,[17] but that he was not present in the area affected by the attack.[18]
In March 2010 Haqqani was described as one of the leaders on the "Taliban's Quetta Shura".[19]
In 2011 it was reported that the CIA had an opportunity to assassinate Haqqani, but did not as women and children were nearby.[20]
Communications
A communication was posted, on the occasion of the election of Mullah A.M. Mansoor as the new leader of the Taliban, quoting Sirajuddin Haqqani:[21]
<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />
...My particular recommendation to all members of the Islamic Emirate is to maintain their internal unity and discipline...
Reward for capture
The U.S. government's Rewards for Justice Program is offering up to US$10 million in reward for information leading to Sirajuddin Haqqani's capture.[15]
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ D. Isby - Afghanistan: Graveyard of Empires: A New History of the Borderland published by Open Road Media, 12 July 2011, 464 pages, ISBN 1453217975 [Retrieved 2015-11-12]
- ↑ Islamabad Boys, The New Republic, 27 January 2010
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ E. Hayes (Retired Army Intelligence Officer) - article published Sunday, August 23, 2015 by Counter Terrorism Lectures and Consulting [Retrieved 2015-11-10]
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.(please see Westpoint)
- ↑ site published by MuslimNames.info 2015, &, One Pakistan - site published by Onepakistan.com 2012 [Retrieved 2015-11-10]
- ↑ site published by quranicnames.com, &, One Pakistan - site published by Onepakistan.com 2012 [Retrieved 2015-11-10]
- ↑ site published by muslimbabynames.net 2015, &, One Pakistan - site published by Onepakistan.com 2012 [Retrieved 2015-11-10]
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Rehman, Zia Ur (13 September 2013) 'A great blow' thefridaytimes.com
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- English transcript of BBC October 2011 interview