How Pakistan captured the Abbey Gate bomber

WASHINGTON: Acting on CIA intelligence, Pakistan detained a senior ISIS commander linked to the Abbey Gate bombing during the 2021 US evacuation from Afghanistan, according to two American officials familiar with the matter.

President Donald Trump announced the capture of Mohammad Sharifullah during his Congress address on Tuesday night. Sharifullah, a key leader of ISIS-K in Afghanistan and Pakistan, is believed to have planned and coordinated the suicide attack that killed 13 US service members and 170 Afghan civilians at Kabul Airport.

“I am pleased to announce that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity,” Trump stated. He also thanked Pakistan for its role in the arrest, confirming that Sharifullah is being extradited to the US.

Trump thanks Pakistan for apprehending Kabul airport bomber

A US official described Sharifullah as the “mastermind” behind the August 26, 2021 Abbey gate bombing. “Because of his role, he has been a high-value target for US intelligence for several years,” the official was quoted as saying by Axios a US based news website

In April 2023, the Taliban killed another senior ISIS-K leader who U.S. intelligence believes authorized the Abbey Gate attack. The Biden administration acknowledged his death but did not disclose his identity.

CIA-PAKISTAN COOPERATION LED TO CAPTURE

After being confirmed as CIA Director in January, John Ratcliffe was instructed by Trump to prioritize the capture of the Abbey Gate attackers. On his second day in office, he raised the issue with Pakistani intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Asim Malik, according to the news website .

The matter was discussed again in mid-February at the Munich Security Conference during a meeting between Ratcliffe and Malik.

US intelligence had been tracking Sharifullah for a long time. Recently, the CIA received precise intelligence on his location and passed it to Pakistan’s intelligence services. In response, an elite Pakistani unit captured him near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Ten days ago, after the US was notified of the arrest, Ratcliffe and FBI Director Kash Patel held a call with the Pakistani intelligence chief from CIA headquarters in Langley. The CIA, Department of Justice, and FBI then coordinated his extradition process.

PAKISTAN-US INTELLIGENCE TIES IMPROVE

Sharifullah’s arrest marks a significant moment in US-Pakistan intelligence relations, which have been strained in recent years. A US official noted that these tensions had negatively impacted counterterrorism operations.

However, both US officials see this cooperation as a positive step, suggesting Pakistan is willing to reengage with the Trump administration on intelligence and counterterrorism efforts.