Afghan Entities Challenge the Narrative on Kabul Airport Attack

Saleh and Al-Mirsaad challenged narratives about Mohammad Sharifullah's role in Kabul airport attack.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

In a rare alignment of interests, Amrullah Saleh, the former first vice president of Afghanistan, and Al-Mirsaad, a Taliban-backed news outlet, have both raised alarms over the growing discrepancies surrounding the role of Mohammad Sharifullah in the Kabul airport bombing.

Despite their differing political stances, they converge on one critical point: Sharifullah, a key figure in ISIS-K, has been portrayed as more central to the attack than he truly was.

Sharifullah's name was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening during his speech addressing Congress. Trump termed him a "top terrorist" involved in the 2021 bombing at Kabul airport's Abbey Gate in Afghanistan, where 13 U.S. service members and at least 170 Afghan civilians were killed.

"Tonight, 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," he said.

According to Trump, Pakistani security agencies acted on Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) intelligence that led to the arrest of Sharifullah, as he thanked Pakistan for "helping arrest this monster."

It is likely that Trump was briefed by the CIA and other security agencies about Sharifullah, also known as 'Jafar', supposed significance in the Kabul airport attack.

In such cases, intelligence agencies often shape the narratives presented to political leaders, sometimes amplifying certain aspects to align with strategic interests.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returned the message of gratitude in a statement issued on Wednesday, thanking Trump for "acknowledging and appreciating Pakistan's role and support in counter-terrorism efforts in Afghanistan," while adding that Pakistan's security forces apprehended Sharifullah, an Afghan national, "in a successful operation conducted in Pakistan-Afghan border region."