A former Taliban commander, Haji Najibullah, was sentenced to 42 years in prison in New York on Tuesday for crimes including the 2008 kidnapping of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Rohde and providing material support that led to the deaths of three U.S. soldiers. The sentencing followed Najibullah’s guilty plea in April 2025 to charges of material support for terrorism and hostage-taking.
During the court proceedings, Rohde, now a national security reporter for MSNBC, confronted Najibullah, expressing disappointment that the commander refused to fully accept responsibility for the kidnapping. Rohde recounted how Najibullah’s lies led to his abduction, along with an Afghan interpreter and a driver, who were held for seven months in Taliban-controlled areas before escaping.
Prosecutors detailed Najibullah’s role as a Taliban commander in Wardak Province, where he orchestrated ambushes targeting U.S. military convoys. He also served as an unofficial Taliban spokesperson. During the kidnapping, Najibullah forced Rohde and the others to film proof-of-life videos under duress, with armed fighters threatening them. Najibullah admitted providing weapons and support to the Taliban from 2007 to 2009, knowing they would be used against U.S. forces.
Despite apologizing to Rohde, Najibullah attempted to shift blame onto others and circumstances. Rohde’s testimony highlighted the psychological toll of the ordeal, which he later documented in his 2010 book, A Rope and a Prayer. The sentencing marks a rare instance of a Taliban commander facing U.S. justice for crimes committed during the Afghanistan conflict.