Jazmin Li
On 26 August 2021, a suicide bombing at Kabul airport in Afghanistan killed 13 US service members and approximately 170 Afghan civilians. The attack, which was claimed by ISIS–K, targeted a crowd of thousands of Afghans who had gathered at the airport hoping to be evacuated before the Taliban took control of the country. The US has since apprehended a top terrorist involved in the attack, and the incident sparked intense criticism of then-President Joe Biden.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 26 August 2021 |
| Location | Kabul Airport, Afghanistan |
| Casualties | 13 US service members, 169-170 Afghan civilians |
| Perpetrator | ISIS-K, Abdul Rahman al-Logari |
| Arrested | Mohammad Sharifullah |
| US President at the time | Joe Biden |
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What You'll Learn
The Kabul airport attack took place on 26 August 2021
An eyewitness stated that the explosion felt as if someone had pulled the ground from under his feet, and he saw other evacuees thrown into the air by the force of the blast. At least 182 people were killed during the attack, including 169 Afghan civilians and 13 US service members supporting the evacuation operation. Many nations expressed their condemnation of the attack and their solidarity with the victims and troops conducting evacuations at the airport.
US President Joe Biden made a public address following the attack. He honored the US service members who were killed, calling them "heroes" and saying they lost their lives "in the service of liberty". Biden also expressed deep sorrow for the Afghan victims and vowed to hunt down those who wished harm upon the US. The attack caused a decline in public confidence in the then-president and led to intense criticism of his administration.
ISIS-K, a branch of ISIS, claimed responsibility for the attack and named the bomber as Abdul Rahman al-Logari. The group has been proscribed as a terrorist organization by governments around the world. In March 2025, former US President Donald Trump announced the apprehension of Mohammad Sharifullah, a "top terrorist" involved in planning the attack. Sharifullah was charged with providing material support for terrorism and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
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ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack
On 26 August 2021, a suicide bombing attack occurred at Kabul airport in Afghanistan. The attack killed 13 US service members and roughly 170 Afghan civilians. ISIS-K, an affiliate of militants who previously battled US forces in Syria and Iraq, claimed responsibility for the attack.
ISIS-K, or the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province, is a branch of ISIS. The group had previously increased its presence in several Afghan provinces, including Kabul, and had formed sleeper cells. Following the attack, ISIS-K named the bomber as Abdul Rahman al-Logari.
In March 2025, the US arrested and charged Mohammad Sharifullah, also known as "Jafar," a member of ISIS-K, with providing and conspiring to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. During an interview with FBI agents, Sharifullah admitted to helping prepare for the attack, including scouting a route near the airport and communicating to other ISIS-K members that the route was clear. He also admitted to supporting and conducting activities on behalf of ISIS-K in multiple other lethal attacks.
In response to the attack, US President Biden vowed to hunt down the leaders of ISIS-K and exact revenge. The Taliban also announced that they would take every possible measure to capture the ISIS-K leader, Shahab al-Muhajir.
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The attack killed 13 US service members and 170 Afghan civilians
On 26 August 2021, two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul's airport, killing 13 US service members and around 170 Afghan civilians. The Islamic State group's affiliate in Afghanistan, known as Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP), claimed responsibility for the attack.
The attack occurred during the waning days of an airlift for those fleeing the Taliban takeover. The Taliban had taken control of Afghanistan on 15 August, and thousands gathered outside the airport to get on evacuation flights. The explosion took place by a canal where US forces were checking evacuees' passports, visas, and other documentation before allowing them inside the airport. An eyewitness described the explosion as feeling like someone had pulled the ground from under his feet, and he saw other evacuees thrown into the air by the force of the blast.
The US military's central commander, General Kenneth F McKenzie, said the US would take action against those responsible for the attack. US President Biden vowed to "hunt down" the people behind the attacks and expressed deep sorrow for the victims. Biden also said the US would get any Americans left in Afghanistan out of the country. The Pentagon spokesman, John Kirby, said that the US believes there are still "specific, credible" threats against the airport.
The attack was the deadliest incident for US troops in Afghanistan in a decade. Following the attack, the US launched an airstrike against a vehicle carrying three ISIS-K members in Nangarhar Province, killing two and injuring one. The US also apprehended Mohammad Sharifullah, a "top terrorist" involved in the planning of the bombing. Sharifullah was charged with providing and conspiring to provide material support for terrorism and was interviewed by FBI agents.
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The US apprehended a 'top terrorist' involved in the attack
On 26 August 2021, a suicide bombing attack occurred at Kabul airport in Afghanistan. The attack resulted in the deaths of 13 US service members and approximately 170 Afghan civilians. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.
In March 2025, former US President Donald Trump announced that the US had apprehended a "top terrorist" involved in the 2021 Kabul airport attack. Trump stated that Mohammad Sharifullah, also known as "Jafar," was arrested in the Pakistan-Afghan border region and was being extradited to the US to face charges of providing and conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, resulting in death. Sharifullah was allegedly involved in the planning of the bombing and was recruited into ISIS-K, a branch of ISIS, in 2016. He admitted to conducting surveillance and supporting ISIS-K in multiple lethal attacks, including an attack on embassy guards in Kabul in 2016 and an attack on a Moscow nightclub.
According to court documents, Sharifullah was in prison from 2019 until two weeks before the Abbey Gate attack. Upon his release, he was contacted by ISIS members to assist in the attack. He was tasked with scouting a route near Hamid Karzai International Airport for the attacker. Sharifullah was charged in the Eastern District of Virginia, and he made his first federal court appearance in Alexandria, Virginia, where he was ordered to be detained until his next hearing.
The arrest of Sharifullah was a result of the collaboration between Pakistani and US intelligence agencies. Pakistan's security forces apprehended Sharifullah based on CIA intelligence, demonstrating the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in counterterrorism efforts.
The Kabul airport attack had far-reaching consequences, and the US had vowed to bring those responsible to justice. The arrest of Sharifullah is a significant development in the ongoing efforts to hold those accountable and send a strong message against terrorism.
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The attack caused intense criticism of then-President Joe Biden
On 26 August 2021, a suicide bombing attack took place at Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan, during the evacuation from the country. The attack killed 13 US service members and approximately 170 Afghan civilians. ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Kabul airport attack caused intense criticism of then-President Joe Biden, who was already under scrutiny for his handling of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Biden had previously received multiple reports of a possible attack and warned of the increased threat posed by ISIS to American personnel and civilians near the airport. Despite these warnings, the attack occurred, resulting in the first American military casualties in Afghanistan since February 2020.
Critics argued that Biden should have started the withdrawal process earlier and that his administration failed to adequately anticipate and prevent the attack. House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy called for legislation to prohibit the US withdrawal until all Americans were evacuated. Biden's subsequent drone strikes targeting ISIS-K members in Afghanistan also faced condemnation from human rights organizations and US lawmakers, who questioned the strikes' legality and raised concerns about civilian casualties.
In the aftermath of the attack, Biden faced pressure to respond decisively and protect American citizens and vulnerable Afghans. He vowed to complete the evacuation of US citizens and others from Afghanistan, despite the security challenges. Biden also pledged to avenge the deaths of the US service members, stating that the US would "hunt down" those responsible and "make them pay."
While Biden acknowledged the tragedy of the attack and honored the service members killed, his administration was criticized for its perceived failure to adequately anticipate and prevent the attack, as well as its handling of the overall withdrawal from Afghanistan. The intense criticism reflected the complexities of the situation and the challenges faced by the Biden administration in ensuring the safety and security of US citizens and addressing the threat posed by terrorist groups like ISIS-K.
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Frequently asked questions
The Kabul airport attack took place on 26 August 2021.
The attack killed 13 US service members and at least 169 to 170 Afghan civilians.
ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack and named the bomber as Abdul Rahman al-Logari. In March 2025, the US apprehended Mohammad Sharifullah, a "top terrorist" involved in the planning of the attack.
