WASHINGTON: A US federal jury convicted on Wednesday an Afghan man &mdash; arrested by Pakistani authorities in 2025 &mdash; for his role in the 2021 suicide bombing at Kabul airport that killed at least 170 Afghans and 13 American troops. Mohammad Sharifullah, an operative of the Islamic State Khorasan (ISK) branch in Afghanistan, was convicted in Virginia of conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist organization. According to prosecutors, Sharifullah scouted out the route to the airport where the suicide bomber later detonated his device among packed crowds trying to flee days after the Taliban seized control of Kabul. The United States withdrew its last troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, ending a chaotic evacuation of tens of thousands of Afghans who had rushed to Kabul&#39;s airport in the hopes of boarding a flight out of the country. Sharifullah was extradited to the United States from Pakistan in March 2025 and put on trial in a federal court in Alexandria on the outskirts of the US capital. Sharifullah, who is also known as Jafar, faces up to 20 years in prison. According to US authorities, Sharifullah was involved in a number of ISK attacks between 2016 and his arrest by Pakistani authorities in 2025. They included a June 2016 suicide bombing that targeted Nepali security guards protecting the Canadian embassy in Kabul. Sharifullah was accused of conducting surveillance and transporting the suicide bomber to the attack site. He was also accused of giving weapons instructions to ISK gunmen who attacked the Crocus City Hall near Moscow in March 2024.

Americas

A US federal jury convicts a man for the suicide bombing at Kabul airport that killed at least 170 Afghans and 13 American troops; Sharifullah, a member of the ISK branch in Afghanistan, convicted in Virginia of conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist organization.



Afghan terrorist arrested by Pakistani authorities convicted in US court 

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: An Afghan national is currently on trial in a US federal court for allegedly playing a role in the deadly bombing at Kabul airport in 2021, which occurred during the final days of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, according to Ariana News. Mohammad Sharifullah, also known as &ldquo;Jafar,&rdquo; is charged with providing and conspiring to provide material support to ISIS-K, the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State group, resulting in death. He has pleaded not guilty.&nbsp; The attack took place on August 26, 2021, at Kabul International Airport, where thousands of Afghans had gathered in hopes of evacuation as the Taliban, referred to by authorities as the Islamic Emirate, returned to power. The bombing killed more than 180 people, including 13 US service members.&nbsp; A jury was selected earlier this week, with opening statements and testimony now underway. If convicted, Sharifullah could face life imprisonment. Prosecutors allege that Sharifullah assisted in preparing for the bombing at Abbey Gate, the airport&rsquo;s main entry point during the evacuation. According to court filings, he told FBI investigators that he scouted a route for the attacker, checked for security presence, and reported back to other ISIS-K members that the path was clear. The suicide bombing was carried out by Abdul Rahman al-Logari, who detonated an explosive device at approximately 5:36 p.m., causing mass casualties among civilians and military personnel. Authorities say Sharifullah had been released from prison roughly two weeks before the attack and was subsequently recruited by ISIS-K. Prosecutors claim he was given a motorcycle and a mobile phone to assist in the operation. Assistant US Attorney John Gibbs told jurors that Sharifullah made multiple statements to investigators during FBI interviews conducted in Pakistan, during transit to the United States, and after his arrival. &ldquo;You will hear his words, and you will see a great deal of evidence of his guilt,&rdquo; Gibbs said. Defense attorney Geremy Kamens pushed back strongly, arguing that prosecutors had charged the wrong individual and that any statements made by Sharifullah were obtained under duress. &ldquo;This man, Mohammad Sharifullah, had nothing to do with it,&rdquo; Kamens told the court, framing the case as one of mistaken identity. Expert witness Bruce Hoffman testified about ISIS operations and described the chaotic conditions at the airport ahead of the attack as &ldquo;complete pandemonium.&rdquo; During cross-examination, the defense also sought to highlight the role of the Taliban in controlling Kabul at the time, suggesting their influence on the security situation leading up to the bombing. In April 2023, Taliban authorities claimed they had killed an ISIS-K figure they described as the mastermind behind the Abbey Gate attack. Officials from Joe Biden&#39;s administration said the operation was carried out without US involvement.

Kabul Airport - (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Afghanistan

The man is accused of helping ISIS-K carry out the deadly bombing, a charge he denies.

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Afghan terrorist arrested by Pakistani authorities convicted in US court

Afghan goes on trial in US for 2021 Kabul airport bombing