U.S. CENTCOM Commander General Michael Kurilla has praised Pakistan as a “tremendous partner” in the global fight against ISIS-K, highlighting its critical role in recent counter-terrorism successes.
Speaking Tuesday before the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC), General Kurilla commended Pakistan’s intelligence cooperation, stating it has delivered “concrete results” in targeting ISIS-Khorasan, one of the most active terrorist groups today.
In an exchange with Congressman Marcus Luttrell, General Kurilla underscored the ongoing threat posed by ISIS-K, warning of the group’s ambitions to strike beyond South Asia, including on U.S. soil.
“Through our strong partnership with Pakistan, we’ve conducted operations against ISIS-K and eliminated dozens of fighters,” Kurilla said. He confirmed that Pakistani intelligence support had led to the capture of at least five high-ranking ISIS-K operatives.
Among them was Jaffar, a key suspect in the 2021 Kabul airport bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members. Kurilla revealed that Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, personally informed him of Jaffar’s arrest and offered his handover to the U.S.
“Field Marshal Munir called me directly and said, ‘I have him. I’m ready to hand him over, please inform your Secretary of Defense and President,’” Kurilla told lawmakers.
Kurilla also noted that Taliban pressure in Afghanistan has forced many ISIS-K fighters to relocate to tribal regions along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border. Despite this, he said ISIS-K is at its “weakest point” in recent years, largely due to Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts.
Since early 2024, Pakistan has endured over 1,000 terrorist attacks in its western regions, with nearly 700 security personnel and 2,500 civilians killed, a toll Kurilla cited as evidence of Pakistan’s front-line role in the fight against terror.
Further details about ISIS-K’s ongoing threats to U.S. interests were reserved for a closed-door session.
