A suspected senior planner involved in the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport, which resulted in the deaths of 13 American service members during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, has been apprehended and is being brought to the United States to face charges. President Donald Trump made the announcement, revealing the man as Muhammed Sharifullah, also known as Jafar, who orchestrated the Abbey Gate attack. FBI Director Kash Patel hailed the arrest as a step towards justice for the victims and their families.
Sharifullah was captured by Pakistani officials near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and confessed to his role in the 2021 Abbey Gate attack, an ISIS-K attack in Moscow in 2024, and other assaults in Iran. The specific charges against Sharifullah were not disclosed at the time, with charging documents set to be unsealed the following day. The Justice Department did not provide immediate comments on the matter.
The Abbey Gate bombing, a tragic event that claimed the lives of 13 U.S. service members and 170 Afghans while injuring many others, stirred significant criticism and eroded public trust in the Biden administration. Despite a review by U.S. Central Command determining that the suicide bombing was not preventable, Trump had blamed President Biden for the attack and advocated for accountability. Sharifullah’s arrest was attributed to enhanced intelligence efforts and pressure on regional allies following Trump’s presidency.
