The founder of Afghanistan's Haqqani Network, Maulvi Jalaluddin Haqqani has passed away after several years of illness.

He was a significant militant figure in Afghanistan and had close ties to both the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

Jalaluddin Haqqani, who founded the network in the 1970s, relinquished operational leadership of the group some years ago to his son Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is now deputy leader of the Afghan Taliban.