A federal jury in Virginia on Wednesday convicted an Afghan man of conspiring to provide material support to ​a terrorist organization in connection with the 2021 suicide ‌bombing at Kabul airport that killed 13 U.S. service members and about 160 Afghan civilians, Reuters reported.

But the jury deadlocked on whether his actions directly ​caused the deaths, sparing the defendant, Mohammad Sharifullah, ​from a possible life sentence. He still faces up ⁠to 20 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga ​did not immediately set a sentencing date.

The attack occurred on ​August 26, 2021, as U.S. forces were evacuating from Afghanistan at the end of America’s longest war. A suicide bomber detonated an explosive ​vest at Abbey Gate, killing 11 Marines, one Navy corpsman ​and one Army soldier, along with an estimated 160 Afghan civilians, read the report.

Prosecutors said ‌Sharifullah ⁠helped the Daesh group, by conducting reconnaissance and facilitating communications ahead of the attack. Defense attorneys argued the government relied too heavily on Sharifullah’s own statements ​during FBI interrogations ​and failed ⁠to independently prove his role in the bombing.

The case marked the first U.S. criminal trial ​stemming from the Abbey Gate attack, a politically ​charged ⁠episode that has continued to shape debate over how former President Joe Biden’s administration withdrew from Afghanistan, Reuters reported.

Early in President Donald Trump’s ⁠second ​term, Sharifullah was arrested in Pakistan, near ​the Afghan crossing, by Pakistani security forces working with the FBI and ​CIA.

At a regular meeting of the Economic Commission, chaired by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, the electronic system for managing official correspondence and administrative documents of government institutions was approved.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the system was presented by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology for discussion. Following a comprehensive evaluation, it was approved, and the ministry was instructed to implement it gradually.

With the implementation of this system, coordination among government institutions will be strengthened, and transparency, efficiency, and security will improve. It will help prevent forgery, corruption, and time wastage, enhance the accuracy of data and accountability, and mark a significant step toward e-governance.

The meeting also included the presentation of a report on 22 public welfare projects, for which implementation has been ordered by the leadership of the Islamic Emirate, to be funded through mining revenues.

The Media Violations Review Commission in Afghanistan says it held dozens of meetings over the solar year 1404 to review complaints from journalists and assess regulatory breaches across media outlets nationwide.

According to officials, the commission also issued new licences during the year to 16 radio stations, one website, five print publications, two news agencies, 90 YouTube channels, and 27 cultural institutions.

In addition, operating licences were renewed for two television channels, 29 radio stations, four print outlets, and 12 cultural organisations.

The report states that 76 violations were recorded in broadcast media, including radio and television, while a further 35 cases were identified across digital platforms such as YouTube, websites, X (formerly Twitter), and others. All cases, officials said, were reviewed and processed by the commission.

Authorities also said the body addressed complaints raised by 26 journalists and examined around 7,000 copies of newspapers, weekly papers, and monthly magazines from both Kabul and the provinces.

Officials say the commission’s work is aimed at regulating media activity, handling complaints, and improving working conditions for journalists across the country.