Ex-Taliban Commander Sentenced to 42 Years in US Prison Over Journalist Kidnapping and Soldier Killings
New York-A former Taliban commander was sentenced to 42 years in prison on Tuesday by a US federal court for his role in the kidnapping of journalists and involvement in attacks that led to the deaths of US soldiers, concluding a high-profile terrorism case linked to violence in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s tribal regions.
Hajji Najibullah was convicted after pleading guilty in April 2025 to providing material support for terrorism and conspiring to take hostages. Prosecutors said he supplied weapons to the Taliban between 2007 and 2009, knowing they would be used in operations against US forces in Afghanistan.
The sentencing hearing in Manhattan federal court included emotional testimony from journalist David Rohde, who Najibullah helped abduct in 2008 along with two other men. Rohde described how he was initially lured under the pretense of an interview before being taken hostage, calling hostage-taking a “cruel and cowardly crime.”
Rohde, now a national security reporter for MSNOW and formerly with The New York Times, said Najibullah had failed to accept full responsibility for his actions and had attempted to shift blame during proceedings. He also spoke about the suffering endured by hostages’ families and the psychological toll of prolonged captivity.
The journalists were held for more than seven months before escaping from a Taliban-controlled compound in Pakistan’s tribal areas, according to court testimony.
Najibullah apologized in court, telling Rohde and his family that what happened was “terrible” and expressing deep regret over his role.
However, the court also heard that his activities contributed to broader Taliban operations that resulted in the deaths of US soldiers in separate incidents.
During the hearing, Rohde referenced three US soldiers killed in operations linked to Najibullah’s associates, emphasizing the lasting impact of the attacks and the human cost of the conflict.
The case is part of a wider series of US prosecutions targeting former Taliban-linked militants involved in cross-border violence, hostage-taking, and attacks on coalition forces during the war in Afghanistan.
