ISIS-K Militant Sentenced to 20 Years for Supporting 2021 Abbey Gate Bombing
Mohammed Sharifullah convicted of material support to terror group in connection with deadly attack during Afghanistan withdrawal.
An ISIS-K militant has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for providing material support to the terrorist group in connection with the deadly Abbey Gate bombing that killed 13 American service members during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Mohammed Sharifullah was convicted in April of a conspiracy charge related to the August 26, 2021, suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. Jurors were deadlocked on whether any deaths resulted from the conspiracy, which could have led to a life sentence if unanimously agreed upon.
The attack occurred as U.S. troops were conducting evacuation operations. A single suicide bomber detonated an improvised explosive device near Abbey Gate, an entry point to the airport, killing more than 160 Afghans and 13 U.S. military personnel. The U.S. withdrawal concluded days later, with the Taliban retaking control of the country.
During interviews with the FBI, Sharifullah admitted to surveilling a possible route for the suicide bomber to Abbey Gate in the final days of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan. Evidence presented at trial indicated that ISIS-K provided Sharifullah with a motorcycle, funds for a cell phone and SIM card, and instructions to open a social media account for communication during the attack operation.
His surveillance included checking for law enforcement and American or Taliban checkpoints. Prosecutors also presented evidence linking Sharifullah to other ISIS-K attacks in Afghanistan.
President Donald Trump announced Sharifullah's capture in March 2025 during an address to Congress, stating that the individual responsible for the atrocity was on his way to face American justice.