An Afghan man convicted in the United States of providing material support to ISIS-K has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in a case linked to the deadly 2021 bombing at Kabul airport.

A federal jury in Virginia convicted Mohammad Sharifullah in April of providing material support to ISIS-K. However, jurors could not reach a unanimous decision on whether he was responsible for deaths resulting from the August 26, 2021, attack at Abbey Gate.

The bombing, carried out by a suicide attacker during the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan, killed 13 US soldiers and around 160 Afghans, according to US authorities.

US prosecutors said Sharifullah’s role included scouting a route to the airport ahead of the attack. However, his lawyers argued that he was never convicted of directly participating in the bombing and that prosecutors had failed to establish a direct link between him and the attack.

Sharifullah, 28, did not testify during the trial and declined to address the court before sentencing. US District Judge Anthony Trenga imposed the maximum 20-year sentence for the conviction.

Prosecutors also accused Sharifullah of involvement in other attacks, including the 2024 attack on a concert hall in Moscow. His defense team disputed the allegations and said statements he made during FBI questioning were unreliable.

The case stems from the chaotic US military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. The Abbey Gate bombing was claimed by ISIS-K.

A US Central Command review previously identified the suicide bomber as Abdul Rahman al-Logari, an ISIS member who had been released from an Afghan prison before the attack.

Hamad Khamis Al-Kubaisi, Deputy Secretary of Qatar’s National Security Council, has met with Afghan Minister of Interior Affairs Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani in Kabul.

According to a statement, the meeting focused on further developing the “good relations” between the two countries, Afghanistan’s positive engagement and constructive role within the international community, and ways to further strengthen bilateral ties.

The meeting comes as Kabul and Doha continue to maintain diplomatic engagement, with both sides discussing opportunities for closer cooperation and stronger relations

Russia has urged the international community to pursue a pragmatic approach toward the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), calling for dialogue, economic assistance and regional cooperation while warning against what Moscow described as excessive reliance on sanctions and political pressure.

Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan on Wednesday, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, welcomed the appointment of Rabab Fatima as the new head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and said international efforts should focus on practical cooperation with authorities in Kabul.

Nebenzia argued that Afghanistan had not experienced the widespread collapse predicted by some Western governments following the withdrawal of foreign forces in 2021. He attributed what he described as relative stability partly to the IEA’s efforts to strengthen regional cooperation.

Russia supports what Nebenzia called a “realistic comprehensive approach” based on dialogue with Afghanistan’s authorities, consideration of Afghan needs, and cooperation on security, economic development and diplomatic relations.

He criticized what he characterized as Western governments’ focus on human rights at the expense of broader engagement.

“Selective and biased approaches, as well as a fixation on human rights aspects – which is of particular interest to a certain group of Western donors – will lead nowhere,” Nebenzia said.

At the same time, Russia said it was monitoring human rights and fundamental freedoms in Afghanistan, including access to education and employment regardless of ethnicity, religion or gender. Nebenzia also called for progress toward a government involving Afghanistan’s various ethnic and political groups.

Nebenzia expressed concern over tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan and the activities of Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He also cited the continued presence of Islamic State Khorasan and the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement as security threats.

Russia praised the IEA’s efforts to reduce opium-poppy cultivation while calling for greater attention to synthetic drugs and stronger regional cooperation against trafficking.

Moscow also called for international assistance to Afghanistan, including efforts to unblock Afghan assets and support economic development. Nebenzia praised humanitarian organizations operating in the country despite what he described as chronic underfunding.

Russia said continued engagement and economic assistance could contribute to Afghanistan’s stability and gradual reintegration into the international community.

U.S. calls for accountability

The United States, speaking in the session, placed greater emphasis on accountability, detainee releases and human rights concerns.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Washington would not tolerate the IEA holding American citizens as bargaining tools, accusing the group of using detainees to seek political concessions and international legitimacy.

Waltz said the U.S. State Department had designated Afghanistan under IEA rule as a “State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention” and urged Council members to demand the release of Americans and other foreign nationals detained by the IEA.

Citing United Nations and UNESCO reporting, Waltz said millions of Afghan girls remain excluded from education beyond the sixth grade. He also criticized restrictions preventing Afghan women from working for the United Nations and entering UN compounds in Afghanistan.

“The Taliban (IEA) wants a seat at the international table,” Waltz said, arguing that its treatment of women and girls conflicts with its stated desire for international recognition.

Waltz also questioned how long the international community should continue engaging with the IEA without seeing measurable changes.

“How many UN reports documenting abuse? How many Council resolutions demanding change? How many years of ‘engagement’ can we pass before we see measurable results?” he asked.

The U.S. representative welcomed the extension and reform of UNAMA and the appointment of Fatima as its new head, saying Washington would closely monitor whether the revised mandate produces a more focused and accountable mission.