Trump says ‘ISIS terrorist’ responsible for Kabul airport bombing arrested

In an address to US Congress, President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the person responsible for killing 13 US service members during the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 had been arrested with the help of Pakistan and was now on his way to the US to face justice.

He gave no further details, but US Attorney General Pam Bondi later said the person, whom she did not identify further, would be taken into US custody by the Justice Department, FBI and CIA, Reuters reported.

“We hope this brings some closure to the families of the 13 American Heroes lost at Abbey Gate. We will continue to bring those who harm Americans to swift and decisive justice,” Bondi wrote on X.

The attack, which took place during the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, killed about 170 Afghan citizens along with the 13 American service members.

In his remarks, Trump thanked the government of Pakistan for its assistance in capturing the “monster.” He also blasted the Biden administration for the “disastrous and incompetent” withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“I am pleased to announce that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity, and he is right now on his way here to face the Swift sword of American justice,” the president said.

Trump called it a “momentous day for those 13 families … It was a horrible day, such incompetence was shown that when [Russian President Vladimir] Putin saw what happened, I guess he said, ‘Well, maybe this is my chance.’ That’s how bad it was. It should have never happened. Grossly incompetent people,” the president added.

CNN reported that the suspect, Mohammad Sharifullah, a leader of an ISIS (Daesh) branch in Afghanistan and Pakistan, is believed to have devised and coordinated the attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.

Newly confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel also confirmed the news of the extradition in a post on X.