Arrest of Suspect in Kabul Airport Attack; 'Confession' to Several Attacks in Iran

The President of the United States announced the arrest and transfer of a suspect involved in planning a suicide bombing at Kabul Airport, which resulted in the deaths of 13 American soldiers during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. U.S. security officials state that this individual, named 'Mohammad Sharifullah', has confessed to carrying out several attacks inside Iran as well. During a two-hour speech at a joint session of the U.S. Congress on Tuesday evening, March 14, Donald Trump stated: 'We have captured the senior terrorist responsible for that tragedy. He is now on his way here to face the sharp blade of American justice.' The White House identified this individual as 'Mohammad Sharifullah' and described him as the 'architect of the Abbey Gate attack' at Kabul Airport. Chris Wray, the new head of the FBI, who was present at Trump's speech, wrote on his social media account that this arrest is 'a step towards achieving justice for these American heroes and their families.' According to Reuters, ISIS-Khorasan was responsible for the explosions in Kerman, with the death toll rising to 91. A senior U.S. official told the Associated Press that Sharifullah, also known as 'Jaafar', was arrested late last month at the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan by Pakistani authorities. U.S. officials, including the FBI, interrogated Sharifullah over the past weekend, and he confessed to his role in the Kabul airport attack in 2021, as well as the ISIS-Khorasan attack in Moscow in March 2022 and several attacks within Iran. ISIS-Khorasan, officially known as the Islamic State – Khorasan Province, is a branch of the ISIS terrorist group that operates mainly in Central South Asia and Afghanistan. The attacks in 2022 and 2023 on the Shah Cheragh shrine in Shiraz and the explosions in Kerman in 2023, marking the fourth anniversary of Qassem Soleimani's death, are three terrorist incidents in Iran for which ISIS-Khorasan has claimed responsibility. Iran has not yet reacted to this arrest, and it is not specifically known what attacks this individual has carried out in Iran. It is still unclear what charges Sharifullah will face. His indictment documents are expected to be released on Wednesday, March 15. The bombing at Kabul Airport in 2021, which occurred during the final days of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, claimed the lives of 13 American military personnel and 170 Afghan citizens, injuring dozens more. This incident led to widespread criticism in the U.S. Congress and raised public trust issues regarding Joe Biden's administration. A report by U.S. Central Command released last year indicated that this suicide bombing was not preventable. The same report stated that American soldiers had previously identified the bomber, who was an Islamic State fighter and was imprisoned in Afghanistan, and was released at the same time as the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Joe Biden's role in the withdrawal from Afghanistan during his election campaigns, holding him responsible for the Kabul airport attack. A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to the Associated Press, stated that Sharifullah's arrest came after recent coordination by the U.S. intelligence community, increased information sharing, and pressure on regional partners to find those responsible for this attack since Donald Trump's inauguration.