Senior ISIS-K Operative Behind Kabul and Moscow Attacks Captured in Pakistan

In a joint operation by the CIA and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Mohammad Sharifullah, a key militant of ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), has been arrested near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Sharifullah is accused of orchestrating the August 26, 2021, Kabul airport attack and training terrorists involved in the March 22, 2024, Crocus City Hall attack in Moscow.

CIA-ISI Cooperation Leads to High-Profile Arrest
The CIA had been tracking Sharifullah for some time and recently obtained precise intelligence on his location. This information was shared with Pakistani intelligence, and a Pakistani special forces unit successfully apprehended him.

Sharifullah’s Role in Major Terror Attacks
Sharifullah was involved in planning and executing several deadly attacks, including:

▪️ June 20, 2016 – Orchestrated a suicide bombing targeting a convoy of Canadian embassy guards en route to the embassy in Kabul. The attack killed 16 people.

▪️ August 26, 2021 – Played a key role in the Kabul airport bombing, coordinating the suicide bomber’s route and target. The attack resulted in 183 deaths, including 13 U.S. service members.

▪️ March 22, 2024 – Provided weapons and explosives training to two of the four attackers who carried out the Crocus City Hall attack in Moscow, which killed 145 people.

Extradition to the U.S.
Following his interrogation by FBI agents in Pakistan, Sharifullah—also known as "Jafar"—admitted to training the Moscow attackers. He has since been extradited to the United States, where he faces life imprisonment.

Significance of the Operation
This marks the first major U.S.-Pakistan counterterrorism collaboration in years, following strained relations after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Pakistan had previously declared that it would not allow the CIA to use its bases for cross-border operations.

Reports also suggest that CIA Director John Ratcliffe, following his appointment, was instructed by former President Donald Trump to prioritize bringing the Kabul airport attackers to justice. Ratcliffe discussed this with ISI chief Lt. Gen. Asim Malik during a phone call and later reiterated the demand at the Munich Security Conference.

This high-profile arrest underscores a renewed intelligence partnership between the U.S. and Pakistan in combating global terrorism.