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

India has urged the international community to recognize Afghanistan’s “new reality” and reconsider its approach toward the country, calling for greater humanitarian, economic and development support.

Addressing the UN Security Council on Wednesday, India’s Permanent Representative Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni said Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation remained “especially dire” and called for broader international engagement, including positive incentives.

“We reemphasize the importance of incentivizing positive actions,” he said. “We cannot firewall 48 million people suffering deprivation and immense hardship out of our collective conscience and expect that there will be no consequences. There is a lot of misery in this world, but the case of Afghanistan is especially dire and we must recognize its new reality and change our collective approach, much like we have done in other similar situations.”

“The UN and international community must widen its policy toolkit to include positive inducements and nudges as well, so that one day, a young Afghan girl or boy can also proudly say that the world helped them when needed.”

India highlighted its humanitarian and development assistance, including more than 50,000 tonnes of wheat, medical supplies and support for Afghanistan’s healthcare system. It also said more than 3,000 Afghan students had benefited from scholarships since 2023.

Parvathaneni also raised concerns over the return of millions of Afghans, stressing that returns should be voluntary, safe and dignified. India reaffirmed its support for UNAMA and called for sustained international efforts to promote peace, stability and economic self-reliance in Afghanistan.