A suicide bombing in Afghanistan has taken the life of the Taliban's acting minister for refugees. Khalil Haqqani's killing is the first such death among the Taliban's inner circle since the group regained power in 2021.

The explosion took place inside the ministry in the capital Kabul on Wednesday afternoon. A Taliban source says that the attack left four people dead, including Haqqani.

The minister was a senior member of Haqqani Network, a hardline militant faction with which the US has banned transactions since 2011.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Taliban claim Afghanistan's security situation has been improving, and that the number of terrorist attacks by ISIS regional groups has dropped amid tightening security.

Observers say that the minister's killing likely dealt a huge blow to the Taliban's interim government.