In a coordinated counterterrorism effort, Azerbaijani authorities have successfully repatriated four suspected members of the Islamic State (ISIS) from northern Pakistan, with the assistance of Pakistani security forces.
According to Azerbaijan’s State Security Service (DTX), the individuals — Vugar Najafli, Jamal Gizalov, Tofiq Yusifli, and Dadash Gashimov — were apprehended upon arrival in Azerbaijan and are now in custody.
The suspects, all Azerbaijani nationals, were reportedly hiding in the mountainous border regions between Pakistan and Afghanistan since early 2024. Intelligence suggests they were undergoing militant training and planning attacks against Azerbaijan’s secular government, particularly targeting the Shi’a-majority population.
Azerbaijani authorities have praised the cooperation of Pakistani security services in facilitating the operation, underscoring the importance of international collaboration in combating transnational terrorism.
The DTX stated that investigations are ongoing and that the suspects will be prosecuted under Azerbaijani anti-terrorism laws.
