Kabul: The US government has revoked a $10 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban-led interim Interior Minister, according to an Afghan Interior Ministry spokesperson on Sunday. This development marks a significant shift in the relationship between the US and the Taliban-led Afghan government.

According to Anadolu Agency, the decision to lift the reward comes years after the US accused Haqqani of orchestrating deadly attacks against US-led forces in Afghanistan and the then-Afghan administration. The US had initially announced the reward as part of a broader effort to capture Haqqani and disrupt the activities of the Haqqani network.

In addition to Sirajuddin Haqqani, the US has also revoked the $5 million rewards for Abdul Aziz Haqqani and Yahya Haqqani, as confirmed by spokesperson Abdul Matin Qani. This move represents a shift in the US approach towards individuals previously deemed as significant threats.

A 2009 press release from the US Department of State labeled Sirajuddin Haqqani as a "senior leader of the Haqqani terrorist network." The release mentioned that Haqqani had admitted to planning a 2008 attack on the Serena Hotel in Kabul, which resulted in the deaths of six people, including American citizen Thor David Hesla.

This change in US policy coincides with recent diplomatic engagements, including a meeting between US President Donald Trump's Hostage Affairs envoy, Adam Boehler, and Taliban-led interim Foreign Minister Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaqi in Afghanistan. Additionally, the Taliban released American national George Glezmann, a Delta Airlines mechanic, after more than two years in detention, further indicating evolving dynamics in US-Taliban relations.