US jury convicts Afghan national of supporting ISK but fails to agree on his direct role in the 2021 Kabul airport bombing that killed over 180, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
A United States federal jury has convicted an Afghan national on terrorism-related charges linked to the regional affiliate of Daesh, but failed to reach a unanimous verdict on whether he was directly responsible for the deadly 2021 bombing outside Kabul airport during the chaotic Western evacuation.
The verdict, delivered in a Virginia court, found Mohammad Sharifullah guilty of conspiring to provide material support to Islamic State Khorasan Province, also known as ISK. However, jurors remained divided over the extent of his involvement in the suicide attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport on August 26, 2021 — one of the deadliest incidents of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The bombing, claimed by ISK, killed at least 170 Afghan civilians and 13 US service members as thousands of desperate Afghans crowded the airport perimeter in a bid to flee after the Taliban seized control of Kabul. Prosecutors argued that Sharifullah played a key logistical role by scouting the route used by the suicide bomber, effectively enabling the attack.
Despite these claims, the jury could not agree on whether the deaths directly resulted from the conspiracy charge for which he was convicted. After two days of deliberations, the panel remained deadlocked on that crucial question, highlighting the evidentiary challenges in linking broader terror support activities to specific acts of violence.
The case had drawn significant political attention. During a previous address to Congress, Donald Trump described Sharifullah as the “top terrorist responsible” for the Kabul airport bombing. The jury’s split decision, however, stopped short of affirming that assertion in legal terms.
During a previous address to Congress, Donald Trump described Sharifullah as the “top terrorist responsible” for the Kabul airport bombing. The jury’s split decision, however, stopped short of affirming that assertion in legal terms.
Sharifullah was extradited to the United States from Pakistan in March 2025 following his arrest by Pakistani authorities. He was subsequently tried in Alexandria, near Washington, where federal prosecutors presented evidence linking him to multiple ISK operations spanning nearly a decade.
According to US authorities, his alleged activities date back to at least 2016, including involvement in a suicide bombing targeting Nepali guards assigned to protect the Canadian embassy in Kabul. Prosecutors said Sharifullah conducted reconnaissance and helped transport the attacker. He was also accused of providing weapons training and operational guidance to ISK militants, including those linked to the 2024 attack on Moscow’s Crocus City Hall.
The conviction on conspiracy to support a terrorist organisation carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been announced.
The partial verdict underscores the complexities of prosecuting transnational terrorism cases, particularly when they involve indirect roles, fragmented intelligence, and events unfolding in conflict zones.
While the conviction affirms Sharifullah’s links to ISK, the unresolved question of his precise role in the Kabul bombing leaves a significant chapter of the case legally unsettled.
