Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani, one of the prominent Taliban clerics, was killed in an explosion at a school in a district of the Afghan capital on Thursday.
Bilal Karimi, the deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, confirmed his death, as reported by TOLO news.
Hours later, IS claimed the attack on its telegram channels, saying the bomber had detonated his explosive vest inside the office of the cleric.
Rahimullah Haqqani, who had recently spoken publicly in favor of girls being allowed to attend school, had survived at least two previous assassination attempts — including one in Pakistan in October 2020.
“The madrassa of Sheikh Rahimullah was targeted today and as a result he and one of his brothers were martyred,” Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran told AFP, adding that three others were wounded in the blast.
Zadran had earlier said that only Haqqani was killed and four others wounded.
The recent explosion in Afghanistan has been condemned by the United Nations. More than 120 people have been killed and injured. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for this explosion. The United Nations family in Afghanistan has called for greater protection for minorities.
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