WASHINGTON D.C: United States Central Command (CENTCOM) Chief, General Michael Kurilla, has lauded Pakistan as a ‘phenomenal partner’ in the global fight against terrorism, highlighting its ongoing efforts against Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) and other militant groups.
Addressing a House Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington, General Kurilla said that Pakistan and the United States reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation on counter-terrorism during a bilateral dialogue held in Washington on May 10.
“The close intelligence cooperation with Pakistan resulted in the killing and arrest of dozens of ISIS Khorasan terrorists. These arrests include at least five of the organization’s high-value individuals,” he said.
Pakistani authorities have achieved several important successes for the United States through intelligence sharing, including the arrest and extradition of the Abbey Gate bombing mastermind, Jafar, General Kurilla stated, referring to Daesh operative Mohammad Sharifullah, an Afghan national who was arrested by Pakistan earlier this year.
The Daesh operative allegedly helped carry out the 2021 suicide bombing outside Kabul airport during the chaotic US military withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Sharifullah has confessed to scouting out the route to the airport, where the suicide bomber later detonated his device among packed crowds trying to flee days after the Taliban seized control of Kabul, the Justice Department said.
Last month, Islamabad and Washington reaffirmed the continuation of counter-terrorism cooperation to advance regional and global security and stability during a counter-terrorism dialogue.
The dialogue focused on addressing pressing regional and global security threats, particularly those posed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and IS-K, which have remained active in the region.
General Kurilla emphasized the resilience and operational capabilities of Pakistan’s armed forces, stating that they are engaged in a sustained counter-terrorism campaign. “There have been 1,000 terrorist attacks in the western region of Pakistan since the start of 2024. They are in an active counter-terrorism fight right now,” he told the committee.
He confirmed that another round of counter-terrorism dialogue between the two nations is scheduled for later this month, reflecting the ongoing strategic partnership and shared interests in combating terrorism.
The CENTCOM chief’s remarks come amid a complex regional security environment and reaffirm Washington’s recognition of Pakistan’s critical role in promoting stability in South Asia.
