PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD: The son of Afghan Taliban chief Maulvi Haibtullah, Abdul Rahman, has carried out a suicide attack in southern Helmand province, according to a Taliban leader and a website affiliated with the Afghan Taliban.
Abdul Rehman died in suicide bombing in Greshik district of Helmand, where Taliban are involved in heavy fighting with the Afghan security forces. He had registered himself as a potential suicide attacker before Sheikh Haibatullah became the head of the Taliban in Afghanistan and had been waiting for his turn to carry out the attack.
The website said that Taliban sources had confirmed the attack by Abdur Rahman while adding that a video of the attacker would be shared soon. Sheikh Haibatullah’s son was said to be a Hafiz-e-Quran (one who memorises the Holy Quran by heart) and was known as Hafiz Khalid among his comrades. A Taliban official said Abdul Rehman used a vehicle in the suicide attack.
The Afghan Taliban had begun surprise fresh attacks from various sides on Grishak district of Helmand early on Thursday morning. The first attack in a series of coordinated hits was carried out using High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) snatched from the Afghan security forces in battles elsewhere in Afghanistan.
Security sources in Helmand had said on Thursday that the Taliban were able to break the first line of defense with the use of suicide attackers.
Published in Daily Times, July 22nd , 2017.
