In April 2024, The Pentagon shared what it learned about the August 26, 2021 Kabul airport attack. It validated initial reports on the following:
- Security measures were in place, but no intelligence could have stopped the bombing.
- The attacker was known to be a terrorist but was not identified as a suicide bomber in time.
- The Taliban’s decision to release prisoners, including ISIS-K members, increased the threat of terrorism.
The investigation confirmed the attacker as Abdul Rahman al-Logari, a known ISIS-K operative. Despite his history as a terrorist operative, the review determined that U.S. forces did not have actionable intelligence identifying him as the suicide bomber before the attack. Although intelligence reports warned of a high likelihood of an ISIS-K attack targeting U.S. forces at the airport, specific details—such as the attacker’s identity, timing, and method—were unavailable until it was too late. The chaotic and rapidly deteriorating security environment at Hamid Karzai International Airport made it exceedingly difficult to track and screen potential threats among the thousands of civilians gathered for evacuation.
Had U.S. and allied intelligence agencies been able to identify al-Logari ahead of time, additional measures could have been taken to neutralize the threat or adjust security protocols. However, with the Taliban controlling key security checkpoints outside the airport and overwhelming crowds making surveillance difficult, the opportunity to preemptively stop the attacker was severely limited.
Further Developments
Muhammad Sharifullah, an Afghan militant associated with ISIS-K and involved in the planning of the 2021 Kabul airport bombing, was captured in February 2025 near the Afghan border. Pakistani authorities detained Sharifullah and subsequently handed him over to U.S. officials. His capture may provide more insight into ISIS-K’s operations and help with ongoing efforts to bring those responsible for the attack to justice.
