Former CIA employee Sarah Adams claims that Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s Minister of Interior, met with a high-ranking ISIS detainee in Saudi Arabia during his Hajj pilgrimage.
According to her, the meeting took place on May 19 at al-Ha’ir Prison, one of Saudi Arabia’s most heavily secured facilities, where individuals convicted of terrorism-related offenses are held.
Adams has questioned how Haqqani was able to meet a detainee inside the facility and who authorized such access. She stated that such a meeting would be impossible without a high level of security coordination and called for further clarification regarding the circumstances.
She further inquired whether the discussions were recorded, who was present during the meeting, and whether any intelligence from the encounter was shared with international partners.
In her remarks, she said: “How was the Taliban’s Interior Minister allowed to meet a senior ISIS detainee inside one of Saudi Arabia’s most secure prisons?”
Neither the Taliban nor Saudi authorities have yet issued an official response to these allegations. Likewise, no international intelligence agency has confirmed Adams’ claims.
These assertions come at a time when the Taliban consistently claim to be fighting against ISIS, while U.S. officials have, in some instances, acknowledged Taliban actions against the ISIS-Khorasan branch.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
