US credits Pakistan for arrest of ISIS terrorist, appreciates govt

Washington: The United States said that the credit for the arrest of the mastermind of the Kabul airport attack, ISIS terrorist Sharifullah, goes to Pakistan, and they are grateful to the government of Pakistan for this cooperation.

US State Department spokesperson Timmy Bruce said in a media briefing that the arrest of ISIS terrorist Sharifullah from the Pak-Afghan border is a manifestation of the fact that Pakistan and the United States have crucial cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

The US State Department spokesperson stated that the United States has expressed its gratitude to Pakistan for the arrest of the ISIS member.

Regarding Muhammad Sharifullah, the State Department spokesperson added that the suspect is currently in custody.

Timmy Bruce further said that as far as the nature of US relations with Pakistan is concerned, it is our common interest to fight terrorism.

Earlier, US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz had also praised Pakistan’s efforts against terrorism.

Background

Based on information provided by the CIA, Pakistan arrested an ISIS commander who was involved in a horrific terrorist plot to attack the US military in Afghanistan in 2021.

According to security officials, Pakistan arrested Afghan ISIS commander Sharifullah, the mastermind of the attack on Kabul Airport, from the Pak-Afghan border during a special operation.

The arrested terrorist was presented in a federal court in the US state of Virginia yesterday.

Sharifullah has confessed to attacks in Afghanistan, Russia, and Iran before Pakistani authorities.

US President Donald Trump also thanked Pakistan for its cooperation against terrorism.

In his longest address to Congress since taking office as US President, Trump said that extremists are against terrorism, and he is happy to announce that a major figure responsible for terrorism in Afghanistan has been arrested.

President Trump, while expressing his gratitude to the government of Pakistan for its cooperation in arresting the terrorist responsible for the Kabul blast in 2021, said that he would like to thank Pakistan in particular for its help in arresting this terrorist.

Later, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked US President Donald Trump for recognizing Pakistan’s efforts in cooperation against terrorism.

It is pertinent to note that 13 US soldiers and 170 Afghan civilians were killed in a suicide attack at Kabul airport during the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in 2021.