An Afghan man convicted of providing material support to Daesh-K has been sentenced to 20 years in a US prison. Mohammad Sharifullah was accused of helping the group linked to the deadly 2021 Kabul airport bombing.
A US federal jury convicted Sharifullah in April on charges of providing material support to a terrorist organisation. However, jurors did not reach an agreement on whether he was directly responsible for the airport bombing.
Role in Kabul Airport Attack
The August 2021 suicide bombing occurred at Hamid Karzai International Airport during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. The attack killed 13 US service members and more than 150 Afghans.
According to the US Justice Department, Sharifullah acted as a scout before the bombing. Prosecutors said he identified an access route to the airport before the suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest.
The Justice Department also linked him to more than a dozen Daesh-K attacks since 2016. His alleged activities included transporting suicide bombers, managing communications and conducting surveillance.
Judge Calls Sharifullah a Dedicated Terrorist
US District Judge Anthony Trenga sentenced Sharifullah on Wednesday. During the hearing, the judge said there was “no doubt” that Sharifullah was a “dedicated terrorist.”
Trenga also said the evidence supported considering Sharifullah’s involvement in the airport attack alongside his participation in other attacks.
The judge said he would have imposed separate sentences for each victim of the bombing if federal law had allowed him to do so.
Defence Challenges Evidence
Sharifullah’s defence lawyers disputed the government’s evidence linking him directly to the airport bombing. They argued that prosecutors had no direct evidence connecting him to the attack beyond statements he gave to FBI investigators.
His lawyers also alleged that Sharifullah may have been under duress during those interviews. The defence position contrasted with prosecutors’ account of his activities and involvement with Daesh-K.
Arrest and Trump’s Statement
Sharifullah was arrested in 2025 based on information provided by the CIA. At the time, President Donald Trump described him as an “architect” of the Kabul airport bombing.
His case later proceeded through the US federal court system. The jury ultimately convicted him of providing material support but did not reach a unanimous decision on whether he directly carried out or was responsible for the airport attack.
Families Seek Maximum Sentence
Families of the 13 US service members killed in the Kabul bombing addressed the court during the sentencing hearing. They urged the judge to impose the maximum available punishment.
Sharifullah did not address the court before sentencing. He reportedly showed no visible reaction when the judge announced the 20-year prison term.
The sentence concludes the federal case against Sharifullah for providing material support to Daesh-K. His conviction and sentence stem from the material-support charge, while the jury’s inability to reach a verdict leaves the direct-responsibility question separate from that conviction.
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