Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
February 7, 2022
The United States has offered a $10 million reward for information that helps identify and find the leader of the Islamic State (IS) group’s affiliate in Afghanistan.
The U.S. State Department also offered a $10 million reward for information that would aid in arresting or convicting the people responsible for a suicide bombing outside the Kabul airport on August 26 that killed at least 173 people, including 13 U.S. soldiers.
Responsibility for the attack was claimed by Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), the extremist group’s affiliate in Afghanistan.
Sanaullah Ghafari, also known as Shahab al-Muhajir, has been identified by the United States as the leader of IS-K.
The U.S. State Department said in November that Ghafari was appointed to lead IS-K in June 2020 and that he is responsible for approving all IS-K operations throughout Afghanistan and arranging funding for activities.
The State Department at the same time designated Ghafari and two other leaders of the extremist group’s affiliate in Afghanistan as global terrorists.
The Pentagon said last week that its investigation into the airport suicide bombing concluded that a single bomber carried out the attack, which occurred during the final chaotic days of the withdrawal of the U.S.-led military coalition from Afghanistan.
The bomber was later identified by Islamic State as Abdul Rahman al-Logari, who was released from prison by the Taliban after the militant group took control of Kabul on August 15.
The bomb exploded outside one of the airport’s gates as thousands of people pushed to try to get inside the airport’s perimeter and join an evacuation mounted by the United States and its allies.
Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters