Afghanistan Peace CampaignIslamabad, Pakistan – United States President Donald Trump revealed during his address to Congress on Tuesday night that an Afghan national, allegedly involved in planning the deadly August 2021 bombing at Kabul airport, had been arrested with Pakistan’s assistance.
The attack took place while US forces were helping the evacuation from the city following the Taliban’s Kabul takeover.
In his first address to Congress after taking office for his second term, Trump referred to the Kabul airport blast, calling it “the most embarrassing moment in the history of our country”.
“Tonight, I am pleased to announce that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity, and he is right now on his way here to face the swift sword of American justice. And I want to thank especially the government of Pakistan for helping arrest this monster,” the US president declared on Monday night.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a statement, thanked Trump for “appreciating Pakistan’s role and support in counterterrorism efforts across the region”.
He confirmed that Mohammad Sharifullah, a commander of the ISIL (ISIS) affiliate in Khorasan Province (ISKP), was an Afghan national captured in an operation conducted in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region.
“As is well-known, Pakistan has always played a critical role in counter terrorism efforts aimed at denying safe havens to terrorists and militant groups the space to operate against any other country,” Sharif wrote in a message on X, the social media platform, on Wednesday, using a different spelling for the alleged bombing mastermind’s name.
What was the Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul airport?
As the Taliban took over Kabul on August 15, 2021, US authorities set an August 31 deadline to evacuate all American troops stationed in Afghanistan for the past 20 years.
However, on August 26, as thousands of Afghans sought an escape from Kabul, a suicide bombing at the airport’s entry point, known as Abbey Gate, killed nearly 200 people, including 13 American soldiers.
Three days after the Abbey Gate attack, US forces launched a drone strike in central Kabul, allegedly targeting an ISKP commander.
However, the missile killed at least 10 civilians, including seven children. Initially, the US claimed to have successfully eliminated its target, but later admitted it was a mistake and issued an apology.
Who Is Sharifullah, and how was he arrested?
While Prime Minister Sharif disclosed that the apprehended individual was an Afghan national, he provided no details on how the operation was conducted.
A government source told Al Jazeera that the operation demonstrated “strong cooperation” between the US and Pakistani security establishments in counterterrorism efforts.
The source further revealed that Pakistani security forces began tracking Sharifullah after receiving intelligence from the US “a few days back”.
“He was arrested in late February near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in an operation solely conducted by Pakistani security agencies. Afterwards, the individual was extradited to the US for due process of law,” the government source stated.
Pakistan has long criticised the Taliban government for failing to curb the presence of armed groups on Afghan soil, which launch attacks inside Pakistani territory. The Afghan government has consistently denied these accusations.
According to US news outlet CNN, CIA Director John Ratcliffe raised the issue during his first phone call with Pakistan’s intelligence chief, General Asim Malik, soon after assuming office.
Sharifullah, also known by the alias Jafar, arrived in the US early on Wednesday morning. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed his arrival. “Terrorist Jafar is officially in US custody,” he said.