Sirajuddin Haqqani, born in December 1979 in Afghanistan, is the son of Jalaluddin Haqqani, founder of the Haqqani Network. He assumed leadership of the network following his father's death around 2018 and has been involved in militant activities in eastern Afghanistan, particularly in the Loya Paktia region. Appointed as deputy leader of the Taliban in 2015, he played a significant role in the group's insurgency against international forces. Haqqani remains the leader of the Haqqani Network, a designated terrorist organization by the U.S., and serves as first deputy leader of the Taliban and acting Minister of Interior in Afghanistan since the group's return to power in August 2021, overseeing security and police forces despite international sanctions. He has been subject to UN Security Council sanctions and U.S. designations as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist since 2012, with a $10 million U.S. State Department reward for information leading to his capture. He faces allegations of orchestrating high-profile attacks, including the 2008 Indian embassy bombing in Kabul and assaults on Kabul hotels and government targets.