The Taliban on Monday gave the families of suicide bombers who attacked U.S. and Afghan troops $112 each and promised them all a plot of land, the Associated Press reported.
The move is an apparent contrast from the group's efforts since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan to gain global support as the country's rulers, while members of the international community ask the Taliban to match their promises with actions.
Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban's acting interior minister, offered the money and land to the dozens of the bombers' family members during a gathering at a hotel in Kabul on Monday evening, according to a tweet from Interior Ministry spokesman Saeed Khosty on Tuesday.
Haqqani commended the sacrifices made by "martyrs and fedayeen," in reference to fighters who died in the suicide bombings, and called them "heroes of Islam and the country," Khosty tweeted.
When the meeting was ending, he gave each family $112, the equivalent of 10,000 afghanis, and promised to also supply each with land, AP reported.
For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below.
Khosty posted photos of Haqqani, his face blurred, embracing the relatives in a packed auditorium.
The event comes as the Taliban attempt to open diplomatic channels with an international community largely reluctant to formally recognize their rule in Afghanistan. High-profile Taliban meetings with foreign officials have focused on obtaining aid to impoverished Afghans as the U.N. predicts virtually the entire population will slide into poverty because of a severe economic crisis.
The promise of rewards for suicide bombings signals conflicting approaches within the Taliban leadership. They are trying to position themselves as responsible rulers, who promise security for all and have condemned suicide attacks by their rivals, the Islamic State militant group (ISIS). On the other hand, they praise such tactics when it comes to their followers.
The Taliban cannot afford to alienate the U.S., which froze billions of dollars in Afghan assets in U.S. accounts in line with international sanctions protocols. International monetary organizations paused disbursements, equivalent to 75 percent of the previous government's expenditure.
At the same time, the Taliban cannot afford to lose their hardline base, especially in the wake of a growing ISIS threat.
Suicide bombings and roadside explosives were tactics used by the Taliban to wear down Afghan and U.S. forces throughout their 20-year insurgency.
The international community has greeted the Taliban's request for recognition with conditions, especially with respect to the treatment of women and girls.
