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Mohammad Sharifullah, an Afghan man convicted for supporting ISIS-K by providing material assistance in plotting attacks over nearly a decade, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Wednesday. The sentence follows his conviction in April after admitting involvement to FBI investigators but with the jury unable to definitively link him to the specific deaths caused by the Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul airport in August 2021. During sentencing proceedings, family members of the 13 American service members killed in that attack emotionally appealed for the maximum sentence, while Sharifzung's defense argued his statements were coerced due to alleged torture during Pakistani detention.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Mohammad Sharifullah, an Afghan man and alleged militant with ISIS-K, was sentenced on Wednesday to 20 years in prison for his role in supporting the terrorist group. The conviction stems from a plot connected to the deadly suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on August 26, 2021, during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. This attack resulted in the deaths of 13 American service members and roughly 160 Afghans. Sharifullah admitted to surveilling a route for the bomber and communicating with ISIS-K leaders before the bombing but denied direct responsibility for the casualties. The jury deadlocked on whether his actions directly led to these fatalities, which would have resulted in a possible life sentence if unanimously agreed upon.
Written for “Abbey Gate Bombing Sentencing” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 3 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 14552 · logged 2026-09-17
Afghan man tied to Abbey Gate bombing sentenced to 20 years for supporting ISIS
Mohammad Sharifullah was convicted for providing material support to ISIS-K.
An Afghan man arrested last year in connection with the Abbey Gate suicide bombing during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years in prison.
asserted
man → tie → prison
Mohammad Sharifullah was convicted in April by a federal jury for providing material support to ISIS-K after admitting in interviews with the FBI that he aided them in plotting dozens of attacks over the course of roughly a decade.
asserted
he → convict → decade
The jury deadlocked, however, on whether Sharifullah's support was directly responsible for the deaths of 13 American service members and approximately 160 Afghan civilians who were killed in the suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in August 2021.
asserted
who → deadlocke → August
Defense attorneys had argued the government had no other direct evidence connecting Sharifullah to the Abbey Gate attack besides his own statements to the FBI, and claimed their client was likely under duress because the interview was conducted after his arrest by Pakistani authorities who they claim have a reputation for torturing detainees accused of terrorism.
uncertain
they → argue → terrorism
President Donald Trump previously described Sharifullah as an "architect" of the bombing when he announced his arrest during his joint address to Congress at the start of his second administration.
asserted
he → describe → administration
At Wednesday's hearing, U.S. district judge Anthony Trenga said he believed the government had provided ample evidence for him to consider Sharifullah's role in the Abbey Gate bombing as among the numerous other attacks he had previously admitted playing a direct role in over the years as a member of ISIS-K that claimed hundreds of lives.
asserted
that → say → lives
The 2 1/2-hour hearing was heart wrenching as family members of the 13 service members killed in the 2021 attack took to the podium to tearfully plead for Judge Trenga to sentence Sharifullah to the maximum prison time of 20 years behind bars.
"No justice will be enough to mend my broken heart," said Paula Knauss, the mother of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss.
asserted
Knauss → wrench → Knauss
"May the Lord give this man the mercy that he did not give my son or others."
uncertain
he → give → son
Alicia Lopez, the mother of U.S. Marine Corporal Hunter Lopez, said, "1846 days ago this animal put into motion events that would ultimately kill my son."
asserted
that → say → son
She added, "These animals will not stop until they are held accountable...
asserted
they → add → ?
Know when death finds you, Allah will not accept you and you will go to Hell."
asserted
you → know → Hell
In one remarkable moment, Mark Schmitz, the father of Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, asked for Sharifullah to look at him as he told him he forgave him for the role he played in his son's death.
asserted
he → ask → death
"I forgive you," Schmitz said, holding back tears.
asserted
Schmitz → forgive → tears
"I will not carry my hatred for you the rest of my life.
asserted
I → carry → life
I will not give you my heart.
asserted
I → give → heart
I will not give you my faith.
asserted
I → give → faith
I will not give you my remaining years."
asserted
I → give → years
In handing down the sentence, Trenga said there was "no doubt" that Sharifullah was a "dedicated terrorist" and appeared to express frustration that he could only sentence him to a maximum of 20 years.
uncertain
he → hand → years
"If I could pose a sentence separately for each of your victims, I would," Trenga said.
uncertain
Trenga → pose → victims
Sharifullah declined to speak through his interpreter when given the opportunity and made no visible reactions to the statements from the victims' family members or when his sentence was ultimately announced.
asserted
sentence → decline → members
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