Trump thanks Pakistan for apprehending Kabul airport bomber

WASHINGTON: United States (US) President Donald Trump on Wednesday thanked Pakistan for apprehending the Kabul airport bomber.

In a joint address to the Congress President Trump said the US remains committed to fighting religious extremist organisations.

He recalled that three and a half years ago, ISIS killed 13 American personnel, an attack that left a deep mark on the country.

In 2021, a powerful bomb blast had struck the perimeter of Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport  while civilians were seeking to escape on flights from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

At least 95 people were killed and 150 others wounded in the incident, which is also known as the Abbey Gate bombing. The Pentagon had confirmed that 13 US service personnel were among those killed.

The bombing came hours after Western governments had warned their citizens to stay away from the airport, because of an imminent threat of an attack by IS-K, the Afghanistan branch of the Islamic State group.

He announced a major breakthrough, revealing that the terrorist responsible for the ISIS attack had been captured. “The perpetrator will now face the sword of American justice,” he declared, emphasizing the US government’s resolve to bring extremists to account.

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He thanked the Pakistani government for its assistance in tracking down and capturing the suspect, acknowledging Islamabad’s role in counterterrorism efforts.

PAKISTAN ARRESTS ISIS COMMANDER ON CIA INTEL, CLAIMS NEWS AGENCY

A Western news agency Axiois has claimed that Pakistan arrested an ISIS commander based on intelligence provided by the CIA. The commander was allegedly involved in planning the 2021 terrorist attack during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The news agency reported that the arrested militant, Mohammad Sharifullah, was among the key ISIS leaders who orchestrated the attack. He was also known by the alias Jaafar. Pakistani intelligence agencies reportedly apprehended him, and he is now being transferred to the United States, with his arrival expected by Wednesday.

A US official told the news agency that Sharifullah was the mastermind behind the Abbey Gate bombing.

Speaking about the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Trump called it “the most shameful event in American history,” admitting that the exit was chaotic and left lasting consequences.