In early September 2021 during talks in the Presidential Palace over forming a new cabinet, Abdul Ghani Baradar was physically attacked by Khalil ul Rahman Haqqani, a leader of the US terrorist-designated Haqqani Network. Baradar pushed for an “inclusive” cabinet that included non-Taliban leaders and ethnic minorities, which would be more acceptable to the rest of the world, the people said. Khalil ul Rahman Haqqani rose from his chair and began punching Baradar. Their bodyguards entered the opened fire on each other, killing and wounding a number of them. While Baradar was not injured and left Kabul for Kandahar to speak with Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, effectively the Taliban’s spiritual head.<ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/world/taliban-shootout-in-palace-sidelines-abdul-ghani-baradar-7517401/</ref> | In early September 2021 during talks in the Presidential Palace over forming a new cabinet, Abdul Ghani Baradar was physically attacked by Khalil ul Rahman Haqqani, a leader of the US terrorist-designated Haqqani Network. Baradar pushed for an “inclusive” cabinet that included non-Taliban leaders and ethnic minorities, which would be more acceptable to the rest of the world, the people said. Khalil ul Rahman Haqqani rose from his chair and began punching Baradar. Their bodyguards entered the opened fire on each other, killing and wounding a number of them. While Baradar was not injured and left Kabul for Kandahar to speak with Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, effectively the Taliban’s spiritual head.<ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/world/taliban-shootout-in-palace-sidelines-abdul-ghani-baradar-7517401/</ref> |