An Islamic State operative accused of planning the deadly 2021 Kabul airport bombing has been arrested with Pakistan’s assistance, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday.
The bombing, which took place during the final days of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, killed 170 Afghans and 13 American troops. The attack occurred as thousands of Afghans desperately tried to flee the country following the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul.
Speaking in his first address to Congress since returning to office, Trump said the suspect was now being extradited to the United States to face justice. He criticized former President Joe Biden’s handling of the withdrawal, calling it a “disastrous and incompetent” operation.
Trump thanked Pakistan for its assistance but did not provide details about the suspect or the operation. However, Pakistani sources identified the man as Mohammad Sharifullah, also known as Jafar, a key figure in the Islamic State’s Afghanistan and Pakistan branch.
According to U.S. news platform Axios, citing American officials, Sharifullah was in the process of being extradited and was expected to arrive in the U.S. on Wednesday.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed Trump’s recognition of his country’s counter-terrorism efforts. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to working with the U.S. to maintain regional security.
The arrest highlights ongoing security challenges in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Militancy has increased along the border since the U.S. and NATO troops withdrew in 2021. Pakistan has accused the Taliban-led Afghan government of harboring extremists, a claim Kabul denies.
Islamic State Khorasan, the group’s regional affiliate, has expanded its operations, carrying out deadly international attacks, including a Moscow concert hall massacre that killed over 140 people and a bombing in Iran that left more than 90 dead last year.
Analysts suggest Pakistan’s cooperation in the arrest is part of an effort to rebuild security ties with Washington. Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at The Wilson Center, noted that Islamabad is looking to position itself as a key U.S. ally in counter-terrorism efforts in the region.