Trump Announces Capture of Kabul Airport Bombing Suspect, Being Extradited to U.S.
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump announced Tuesday night that a suspected key planner in the Kabul airport bombing during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which resulted in the deaths of 13 American service members, has been apprehended and is being transported to the United States to face charges.
On Wednesday, senior Pakistani intelligence officials confirmed the arrest, stating that the suspect was captured in Pakistan, near the Afghan border, after previous attempts to apprehend him were unsuccessful.
In an address to Congress, Trump stated his pleasure in announcing the capture of the “top terrorist” responsible for the bombing, who is now en route to the U.S. to face justice.
The White House identified the suspect as Muhammed Sharifullah, describing him as the orchestrator of the Abbey Gate attack. FBI Director Kash Patel stated on X that the arrest brings them “one step closer to justice” for the American heroes and their families.
The August 2021 attack involved two suicide bombers and gunmen targeting crowds of Afghans at Kabul’s airport during the U.S. airlift amid the Taliban takeover.
The Abbey Gate bombing, during the withdrawal, killed the 13 U.S. service members and 170 Afghans, sparking congressional criticism and undermining public confidence in the Biden administration.
A U.S. official reported that Sharifullah, also known as Jafar, was arrested late last month on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border by Pakistani officials. U.S. law enforcement, including the FBI, interrogated him over the weekend.
According to the official, Sharifullah confessed to his involvement in the Abbey Gate attack, as well as a March 2024 attack in Moscow carried out by ISIS-K, and other attacks within Iran.
The specific charges against Sharifullah remain unclear. The U.S. official noted that charging documents would be unsealed Wednesday and that Sharifullah was in transit to the U.S. during Trump’s address.
The Pakistani intelligence officers stated that Sharifullah joined the militant group in 2016 and participated in over 20 attacks in Afghanistan.
He was previously arrested in 2019 by the U.S.-backed Afghan government but escaped from prison on August 15, 2021, when the Taliban seized Kabul.
The Pakistani officials added that Sharifullah planned the bombing from prison with other militant leaders. He remained in the Balochistan border region until his arrest through a joint intelligence operation between Pakistan and the U.S.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked Trump for acknowledging Pakistan’s role in counter-terrorism efforts in Afghanistan.
Sharif stated on X that Pakistan will continue to partner with the United States to secure regional peace and stability.
Taliban chief spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid stated that the arrest of an Afghan national and ISIS member “on Pakistani soil” indicates that ISIS members “have taken refuge and established havens” inside Pakistan.
Mujahid added that the issue has no connection to Afghanistan, noting the regional Islamic State affiliate is a rival to the Afghan Taliban.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A U.S. Central Command review last year concluded that
The U.S. military previously identified the bomber as Abdul Rahman al-Logari, an Islamic State militant released from an Afghan prison by the Taliban during their takeover.
Trump has consistently criticized Biden’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal and blamed him for the Abbey Gate attack. The official stated that Sharifullah’s arrest resulted from renewed U.S. intelligence coordination, increased intelligence sharing, and pressure on regional partners since Trump took office.