Washington: The US has designated Abdul Aziz Haqqani, the new leader of the Haqqani network, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), for being involved in planning and carrying out attacks against Afghan government targets.
Popularly known as Aziz Haqqani, he assumed the leadership role of the Haqqani network after the death of his brother Badruddin Haqqani. In August last year the US had announced a reward of up to US $5 million for information leading to the location of Aziz.
Following the designation of a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, Aziz Haqqani comes under the ambit of US sanctions, which prohibits any US national from maintaining any relationship with him and seizure of all his assets, if any, in the US.
Aziz Haqqani is a senior member of the Haqqani Network and brother of Haqqani Network leader Sirajuddin Haqqani.
For several years, he has been involved in planning and carrying out improvised explosive device (IED) attacks against Afghan government targets, and assumed responsibility for all major Haqqani Network attacks after the death of his brother, Badruddin Haqqani, the State Department said.
The Department of State designated the Haqqani Network as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation in September 2012. The Haqqani Network has planned and carried out a number of significant kidnappings and attacks against US interests in Afghanistan, as well as Afghan government and civilian targets.
