The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Just the News has reported that newly presented evidence in a U.S. federal trial suggests possible involvement of Haqqani Taliban forces in the August 2021 Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul airport, despite the attack being claimed by ISIS-K and consistently denied by the Taliban.
According to the report, the trial of an alleged ISIS-K
co-conspirator, Mohammad Sharifullah, has revealed intelligence summaries and
witness testimony indicating that Haqqani-linked Taliban elements may have
played a role in facilitating the attack.
Sharifullah, also known as “Jafar,” is charged with
providing material support to ISIS-K resulting in death. He has pleaded not
guilty.
During court proceedings, defense lawyers presented
summaries of U.S. intelligence reports suggesting that the Haqqani Network and
its leader Sirajuddin Haqqani may have been connected to the bombing in some
capacity. However, an FBI agent testified that some of these reports were “raw
intelligence” and had not been fully verified.
The bombing occurred on Aug. 26, 2021, at Abbey Gate of
Hamid Karzai International Airport, where a suicide attacker killed 13 U.S.
service members and about 170 Afghan civilians, and wounded dozens more.
ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack, while the
Taliban has repeatedly denied any involvement.
An Afghan-American interpreter, Ali Raza Hassani, testified
that Haqqani Taliban forces controlling areas near Abbey Gate were hostile
toward U.S. troops during the evacuation. He described the group as one of the
most violent factions of the Taliban and said some commanders did not follow
central Taliban coordination.
The report also cited intelligence claims that ISIS-K leader
Sanaullah Ghafari may have had past links with the Haqqani Network, potentially
providing operational support and access to attack networks.
U.S. prosecutors challenged the defense’s claims, arguing it
would be illogical for the United States to share intelligence with the Taliban
if they were collaborating with ISIS-K. They also noted that some reports
suggested Taliban members were among those killed, though this has been
disputed.
The case continues in a federal court in Virginia, where a
jury is expected to deliberate following closing arguments.
The report highlights that allegations of possible links
between ISIS-K and Haqqani Taliban elements in the Abbey Gate attack have
circulated for years, though no definitive conclusion has been reached.
