Afghanistan: Interior minister wanted by the FBI apparently appeared in Kabul

The interior minister of the militant Islamist Taliban sought by the FBI has apparently appeared in public for the first time since taking office.

A spokesman for the Interior Ministry wrote on Twitter on Tuesday that Siradschuddin Hakkani had met with relatives of Taliban members who had been killed in action the day before in the Afghan capital of Kabul.

According to the Afghan state broadcaster RTA, Hakkani praised the jihad and the sacrifice of the martyrs and mujahideen.

The minister described the dead as "heroes of Islam and the country".

According to the broadcaster, he promised each family the equivalent of a little more than 100 euros and a piece of land.

Ten million dollar reward

The Afghan Interior Ministry shared several pictures of the event.

However, the Hakkani can only be seen from behind or his face has been made unrecognizable.

Hakkani is on the FBI's list of Most Wanted Men.

The US State Department has offered up to $ 10 million in rewards for clues leading to his arrest.

Among other things, he is wanted for questioning in connection with an attack on a hotel in Kabul in January 2008, in which a US citizen was also killed, according to the FBI profile.

After the withdrawal of the international NATO troops, the Taliban had conquered large parts of the country.

On August 15 they entered the capital Kabul without a fight and have been ruling ever since.

svs / dpa / AFP