OAN Staff Lillian Mann
11:46 AM – Wednesday, June 10, 2026
A former Taliban commander has been sentenced to 42 years in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist David Rohde and two others, as well as providing material support that led to the deaths of three U.S. soldiers.
The sentencing of Haji Najibullah marked a daylong proceeding in Manhattan federal court. During the hearing, Rohde faced Najibullah and described how Najibullah participated in the April 2008 kidnapping, when the journalist and two others were lured to Kabul under the false promise of an interview.
Rohde, who is currently a national security reporter for MSNOW (MSNBC), had previously worked for The New York Times when he was taken hostage. The journalist and the two others were were held for over seven months before they made a daring escape from the Taliban-operated compound in Pakistan’s tribal areas.
The two other men kidnapped alongside Rohde were his Afghan colleagues.
- Tahir Ludin: An Afghan journalist who was working as Rohde’s interpreter and fixer. He famously made the daring escape over the compound wall alongside Rohde in June 2009.
- Asadullah “Asad” Mangal: Their Afghan driver, who was hired to transport them to the scheduled interview outside of Kabul. He remained behind during the initial escape but was later released safely.
“Hostage taking is a cruel and cowardly crime,” Rohde said during the court proceedings, facing the ex-Taliban commander. “Family members spend weeks and months thinking they have the power to save their loved one’s life,” Rohde said, emphasizing the confusion and stress families endure due to lack of leverage and money needed to meet ransom demands.
“He’s refusing to take responsibility for his actions as I look at him right now,” Rohde added.
Speaking through a translator in court, Najibullah apologized to Rohde and his family, stating that what happened to the journalist was terrible and expressing deep regret for his role in the abduction. The 50-year-old former Taliban commander also admitted to providing material support, including weapons, to the Taliban between 2007 and 2009, with the full knowledge that they would be used to kill American forces in Afghanistan.
Rohde took the stand to confront his former captor, describing his decision to arrange the 2008 interview with Najibullah as the biggest mistake of his life. He emphasized that while the ordeal led to his own terrifying seven-month kidnapping, the pain he suffered paled in comparison to the tragic deaths of the three U.S. soldiers killed by Najibullah’s contingents in a separate operation.
The journalist recalled how his captors relentlessly accused him of being a spy, when in reality, he had traveled there to understand the Taliban commander’s perspective, hopes, and worldview. Growing emotional as he spoke, Rohde named each of the three fallen soldiers, reflecting on their ultimate sacrifice, his family’s suffering, and his enduring love for his career.
Defiant in the face of his former captor, Rohde concluded by stating that he remains a journalist and could not be prouder to be a part of the profession.
Following the sentencing, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a statement emphasizing that the case serves as a stark reminder that those who harm Americans and engage in acts of terrorism will be hunted down and brought to justice, no matter how long it takes.
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