An affidavit released [1] Wednesday revealed that Mohammad Sharifullah, an alleged key figure behind the 2021 Abbey Gate suicide bombing in Afghanistan that killed 13 American service members, had been released from prison just two weeks before the attack.
PHOTO: Mohammad Sharifullah, alleged co-conspirator in the murder of American soldiers at Abbey Gate in Afghanistan, apprehended and extradited last night — wheels down to face American justice.
Thank you to our great partners @AGPamBondi [2], @JohnRatcliffe [3], @DNIGabbard [4], and brave… pic.twitter.com/uZnKYz5waV [5]
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) March 5, 2025 [6]
The timing coincides with the Taliban’s takeover of Bagram Air Base, which resulted in the release of thousands of prisoners following the Biden-Harris administration’s decision to abandon the facility.
The affidavit, released by the Trump Department of Justice, states that Sharifullah was imprisoned in Afghanistan from approximately 2019 until about two weeks before the August 26, 2021, bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport’s (HKIA) Abbey Gate.
However, it does not specify from which prison he was released.
Reports from The New York Times at the time confirmed that on July 1, 2021, the Biden-Harris administration ordered U.S. forces to withdraw from Bagram Air Base.
Just six weeks later, on August 15, 2021, Taliban fighters took control of the base and released thousands of detainees, including “senior Taliban and Al Qaeda figures.”
According to the affidavit, nearly two weeks after the Taliban’s release of prisoners, an ISIS-K suicide bomber allegedly assisted by Sharifullah carried out an attack that resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and injuries to dozens more during the chaotic evacuation of Kabul.
The affidavit details Sharifullah’s role in assisting ISIS-K operatives in the lead-up to the attack:
- 15. In an interview with FBI Special Agents after waiving his Miranda rights on or about March 2, 2025, Sharifullah stated the following: Sharifullah was in prison in Afghanistan from approximately 2019 until approximately two weeks before the HKIA attack. Upon Sharifullah’s release, an ISIS-K member contacted Sharifullah to arrange for his assistance in an upcoming attack.
- 16. ISIS-K members provided Sharifullah with a motorcycle, funds for a cell phone and a SIM card, and instructions to open an account on a particular social media platform to communicate with them during the attack operation. After making these preparations for the attack, Sharifullah was tasked with scouting a route near HKIA for an attacker. Sharifullah conducted surveillance on a route, specifically checking for law enforcement and American or Taliban checkpoints. Sharifullah communicated to other ISIS-K members that he believed the route was clear and that he did not think the attacker would be detected while proceeding through that route. ISIS-K members then instructed Sharifullah to leave the area of HKIA. Later that same day, Sharifullah learned of the attack at HKIA described above and recognized the alleged bomber as an ISIS-K operative he had known while incarcerated.
The Biden-Harris administration has maintained that the withdrawal was based on an agreement made under the Trump administration, which had set a timeline for U.S. troop removal.
However, Trump officials have repeatedly argued that the agreement was conditional and that they would not have abandoned Bagram Air Base or allowed such a chaotic evacuation.
Critics from both parties have pointed to the decision to withdraw from Bagram as a key mistake, arguing that conducting evacuations from the airbase instead of HKIA would have provided a more secure alternative and potentially prevented the conditions that led to the deadly attack.
President Donald Trump announced Sharifullah’s capture during a joint address to Congress on Tuesday.
.@PressSec [7]: “After nearly four years, President Trump delivered justice for the families of the 13 American heroes who were killed at Abbey Gate… President Trump announced that we have detained Muhammed Sharifullah, the monster who was responsible for that horrific attack.” pic.twitter.com/q5whEyFeIM [8]
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 5, 2025 [9]
Democrats couldn’t even stand for the incredible Americans President Trump recognized.
They refused to clap for the families of Jocelyn Nungaray, Laken Riley, Corey Comperatore, or the capture of the terrorist mastermind behind Abbey Gate.
That’s the sad state of Congressional… pic.twitter.com/wB08Stsduu [10]
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) March 5, 2025 [11]
The suspect was apprehended with the cooperation of the Pakistani government and was extradited to the United States on Wednesday.
He is set to face charges of providing and conspiring to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization resulting in death.