Islamabad, Pakistan – United States President Donald Trump Reveled During His Address to Congress On Tuesday Night that an Afghan National, Allegedly Involved in Planning the Deadly August 2021 Bombing At Kabul Airport, Had Been arrested with Pakistan’s Assistance.
The Attack Took Place While Us Forces Were Helping The Evacuation From The City Following The Taliban’s Kabul Takeover.
In his first address to Congress After Taking Office for His Second Term, Trump Referred to The Kabul Airport Blast, Calling It “The Most Engrassing Moment in The History of Our Country.”
“Tonight, I am pleased to announce that we have just apprehed the top terrorist for sure forchy atrocity, and he is right now on His way here to face the swift swift swift of American justice. And I want to Thank Specially The Government of Pakistan for Helping Arrest This Monster, ”The US President declared on Monday Night.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a statement, Thanked Trump for “Appreciating Pakistan’s Role and Support in Counterterrorism Efforts Across the region.”
I have confirmed that Mohammad Sharifullah, A Commander of the Isil (ISIS) Affiliate in Khorasan Province (ISKP), was an Afghan National Captured in an Operation Driving in the Pakistan-Fughanistan Border Region.
“As is Well-Known, Pakistan Has Always Played A Critical Role in Counterrism Efforts AIMED AT Denying Safe Havens To Terrorists and Militant Groups The Space To Operate Against Any Other Country,” Sharif Wrote In a Message on X, The Social Media Platform, on Wednesday, Using A Different Spelling for The Alleged Bombing Mastermind’s Name.
We Thank US President Donald Trump for accknowledge and appreciating pakistan’s role and support in Counterrism efforts across the region, in the context of pakistan security forces’ Recent hension of iskp’s top tier operational commander commander Shareefullah,
– Shehbaz Sharif (@cmshehbaz) March 5, 2025
The Development come to Day after Bombing In Pakistan’s Northwestern Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where A Suicide Attack Killed 12 Civilians. Last Week, Another Suicide Bomb Blast At a Mosque in the Same Province Killed At Least Four People, With Many Suspecting The Iskp’s Involvement.
What was The Abbey Gate Bombing At Kabul Airport?
As The Taliban Took Over Kabul on August 15, 2021, US Authorities set an August 31 Deadline to evacuate All American Troops Stationed in Afghanistan for the Past 20 Years.
However, on August 26, As Thousands of Afghans Sought An Escape from Kabul, A Suicide Bombing at The Airport’s Entry Point, Known As Abbey Gate, Killed Nearly 200 People, Including 13 American Soldiers.
A Subsequent Us Investigation Reveals That the Bomber, Identified as Abdul Rahman Al-Logari, Had Been An Iskp Member Since 2016. He was Was One of Thousands of Iskp Members Freed by the Taliban after they were control of the country in August 2021.
Three Days After The Abbey Gate Attack, US FORCES LAUNCHED to Drone Strike In Central Kabul, Allegedly Targeting An ISKP Commander.
However, The Missile Killed At Least 10 Civilians, Including Seven Children. Initially, The us Claimed to Have Successfully Eliminated ITS Target, But Later Admitted It Was A Mistake and issued an apology.
WHHO IS SHARIFULLAH, AND WHA WAS HE ARESTED?
While Prime Minister Sharif Disclosed That the Apprehedhed Individual was an Afghan National, I have not died on How the Operation Was Driver.
A Government Source Told Al Jazeera That the Operation Demonstated “Strong Cooperation” Between The Us and Pakistani Security Establishments in Counterterrorism Efforts.
The Source Further Reveared that Pakistani Security Forces Began Tracking Sharifullah After Review Intelligence from The Us “A Few Days Back”.
“He was arrested in late february near the Pakistan-Faghanistan border in an operation soly driver by Pakistani Security Agencies. Afterwards, The Individual was extradited to the us for due process of law, ”The Government Source Stated.
“Sharifullah’s Arrest Also Proves that Pakistan’s Position on Afghanistan Being A Hotbed of Terrorism is Absolutely Correct,” The Source Added, Speaking Anonymously as They were not autorized to discuss the matter publicly.
Pakistan has long criticized the Taliban Government for Failing to Curb the Replace of Armed Groups on Afghan Soil, Which Launch Attacks Inside Pakistani Territory. The Afghan Government has consistently denied before accusations.
According to Us News Outlet CNN, CIA Director John Ratcliffe Raised the Issue During His First Phone Call With Pakistan’s Intelligence Chief, General I was assimious Malik, Soon After Assuming Office.
Sharifullah, Also Known by The Alias Jafar, Arrived in the Us Early On Wednesday Morning. FBI Director Kash Patel Confirmed His Arrival. “Terrorist Jafar is office in us custody,” He Said.
That Time You Delivered The Sword of Justice for the American People-Thank You For Your Incredible Leadership @Agpambondi and @Johnratcliffe . So Prooud of the Men and Women of the FBI, DOJ, and cia.
Justice for Abby Gate- Terrorist Jafar Officially in Us Custody pic.twitter.com/en1wjwjzcw
– Kash Patel (@kash_patel) March 5, 2025
What Does This Arrest Mean for Pakistan-Us Relations?
With us Inte interest in the region waning and Pakistan’s teshes with China – Washington’s Primary Geopolitical rival – Growing, The Relationship Between The Two Nations has remahed Lukewarm in Recent Years.
However, Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s Former Ambassador to the us, Believes The Operation Signals That Counterterorism Cooperation Between The Two Countries Remins Strong.
“The Lack of Suficient engagement at the politician Level, military-to-military tune to be strong, which has long been the case in This Roller-Coaster Relationship,” She Toled Al Jazeera.
Qamar Cheema, An International Affairs Expert and Executive Director of the Islamabad-Based Sanober Institute, Echoed This sentiment.
“It is important to understand that the us views Afghanistan Through to Pakistani Lens. The Pakistani View Is Thatgal Us-Made Weapons in Afghanistan Are Being used by Armed Groups to Carry Out Attacks in Pakistan and the Region, ”I have toled Al Jazeera.
“Officials from Bon Countries Believe They Must Work Together to Maininin Regional Stability. This Operation Shows There Is Clarity in the Us Administration About Pakistan’s Importance – Subject That Was Less Visible During the Previous Biden Administration, ”Cheema Added.
However, Lodhi, Who Also Served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom and the United Nations, Believes The Broader Pakistan-Us Relationship Needs to Reset, As It has been at Low Point Since The US Withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
“What this latest development shows is that cooperation continues in a narrow Bandwidth and has yet to find a wider basis. Pakistan is not on Trump’s Foreign Policy Priority List, But The Arrest and Trump’s Gratitude Toward Pakistan presented an Opportunity to Explore How The Relationship Can Be Rebuilt and Redefined, ”She Said.
“But it is important not to overstate the meaning of this arrest for Pakistan-Us Relations, which are in need of a Major Reset.”
