Afghan ISIS-K Affiliate Gets 20 Years for Supporting Kabul Airport Attack

Mohammad Sharifullah, an Afghan national linked to the Islamic State’s Khorasan branch, received a 20-year prison sentence after a Virginia federal jury found him guilty of providing material support to the group. While the jury was split on whether his actions directly caused the August 26, 2021 suicide bombing at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport, which killed 13 U.S. service members and roughly 160 Afghans, the judge applied the statutory maximum.

Judge Anthony Trenga called Sharifullah a “dedicated terrorist” and noted his lack of remorse. During sentencing, parents of fallen service members, including Mark Schmitz, spoke about the lasting impact on their families. Prosecutors argued Sharifullah’s hatred of Americans stemmed from his oath to ISIS-K and cited his alleged involvement in dozens of attacks, such as a March 2024 Moscow concert hall massacre.

Defense attorneys maintained that the government could not prove his participation in the Kabul bombing and suggested his statements to the FBI were coerced. The case underscores ongoing U.S. efforts to hold overseas terror supporters accountable.