At least 22 people were killed when three gunmen rampaged through the university on November 2.
Afghan forces captured the “brain” of a brutal attack on Kabul University when fighters stormed classrooms and killed dozens of students earlier this month.
At least 22 people were killed and another 27 injured when three gunmen rampaged through the university on November 2, spraying classrooms with bullets for several hours.
The brazen assault in daylight came amid escalating violence across the country that has only worsened in recent months despite the government holding peace talks with the Taliban in Qatar.
“The mastermind behind the Kabul University attack has been arrested,” Vice President Amrullah Saleh announced on his Facebook page on Saturday.
The assault, which ended after the three attackers were killed, was planned by a man named Adil, Saleh said.
Adil was recruited by the Haqqani network, Saleh said, giving only one name of the arrested man.
“The attack was carried out to pressure, defame and make the government appear weak in front of the people,” he said.
Haqqani Network
Adil came from Panjshir province, but his family lived on the outskirts of Kabul. “Adil had been missing for three years amid rumors that he had gone to receive training in war and fighting,” Saleh said.
During his questioning, Adil revealed that he had received weapons from the Haqqani network to carry out the attack, Saleh added.
The shadowy Haqqani network, affiliated with the Taliban, has long been accused of carrying out attacks against Western military and civilian forces and has been labeled a “terrorist” group by the United States.
Saleh and other senior officials initially blamed the Taliban for the attack on the university, but the armed group denied their involvement.
The attack was claimed by the armed group ISIL (ISIS). Days before the assault on the university, ISIL claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide bombing near an educational center in a western district of Kabul that killed 24 people.
.
