Washington (Web Desk): President of the United Stated (US) Donald Trump expressed his gratitude to Pakistan for its crucial role in the capture of a key terrorist involved in the deadly bombing at Kabul airport in 2021, an attack that killed 13 US service members and approximately 170 Afghan civilians.
Speaking before a joint session of the Congress, Trump announced, "Three and a half years ago, a [Daesh] terrorist killed 13 American service members and countless others in the Abbey Gate bombing. 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."
Following the revelation of the arrest, Trump took a moment to acknowledge Pakistan's role in the operation, saying, "I want to thank, especially, the Pakistani government for helping arrest this monster. This was a very momentous day for the 13 families I got to know very well, whose children were murdered on that fateful day."
The Abbey Gate bombing occurred during the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, an event that Trump has continued to criticize as a failure of the Biden administration.
"Not that they were withdrawing, but it was the way they withdrew," he stated, referring to it as “perhaps the most embarrassing moment in the history of our country.”
The attack on August 26, 2021, was carried out by two suicide bombers and gunmen, targeting crowds of Afghans at Kabul's airport during the tumultuous evacuation, killing 170 Afghan civilians and 13 US soldiers tasked with securing the airport for the departure.
In April 2023, the White House reported that Taliban forces in Afghanistan had killed the mastermind behind the attack, identifying him as a "key" figure in IS-Khorasan (IS-K).
According to American media, the arrest of Mohammad Sharifullah, also known as "Jafar," was made possible by close collaboration between the CIA and Pakistan’s intelligence agencies.
Sharifullah, who was a senior IS-K commander, was captured near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border after the CIA provided accurate intelligence on his whereabouts.
He is accused of orchestrating and overseeing the Abbey Gate bombing, making him a high-priority target for US counterterrorism efforts.
