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Express Tribune
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
'Exceptional partner': US general lauds Pakistan's counterterrorism efforts
Listen to article United States Central Command (Centcom) Chief General Michael Kurilla has lauded Pakistan's counterterrorism efforts, particularly its role in combating the militant group ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), describing the country as a key partner in regional security operations. Speaking during a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee in Washington on Tuesday, Kurilla described ISIS-K as 'one of the most active groups attempting external plots globally, including against the US homeland.' He added that hostility between the Taliban and ISIS-K had intensified, forcing many fighters into the tribal regions along the Afghan-Pakistan border. The Centcom chief praised Pakistan's cooperation, terming it a 'phenomenal partnership.' He said that with limited intelligence support from the United States, Pakistan had managed to kill dozens of ISIS-K militants and capture at least five high-value individuals. Among those apprehended was Jafar, identified as a key figure behind the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul airport. 'The Chief of Army Staff called me directly and said, 'I've caught him. I'm willing to extradite him back to the United States. Please inform the Secretary of Defense and the President,'' Kurilla told the committee. While acknowledging Pakistan's successes, the general noted that ISIS-K remains operational in the region. 'They are mostly confined to the border areas of Pakistan, occasionally attempting to re-enter Afghanistan,' he said, adding that the United States continues to monitor the group's movements. Earlier this year, US president Donald Trump also acknowledged Pakistan's role in counterterrorism. Speaking before a joint session of Congress in March, he said: 'I want to thank, especially, the Pakistani government for helping arrest this monster,' referring to Jafar's capture. Highlighting Pakistan's own internal security challenges, Kurilla told lawmakers that the country has faced over 1,000 terrorist attacks in its western regions since the beginning of 2024, resulting in approximately 700 deaths and 200 injuries. He referred to Pakistan as an 'exceptional partner' in counterterrorism efforts. Commenting on the current strength of ISIS-K, the Centcom chief said the group is at a 'low point' following several months of sustained pressure. He said intelligence gathered from interrogations has provided 'substantial' information. However, he cautioned that the threat remains, citing the group's involvement in recent international attacks, including the Crocus City Hall bombing in Moscow and another in Kerman, Iran. 'Whatever we have to do to avoid going back to that place would be critical,' he warned. Kurilla also stressed the importance of maintaining strategic ties with both Pakistan and India. 'We have to have relationships with Pakistan and with India. I don't believe it's a binary switch that we can't have one with Pakistan if we have one with India. We should look at the merits of the relationship for the positives that it has,' he said. WATCH: Trump Thanks Pakistan Government for Helping Capture Top ISIS Terrorist The remarks come in the backdrop of a broader shift in US policy towards the region. Following a military standoff between India and Pakistan that brought the two nuclear-armed neighbours close to war, Trump announced a ceasefire on May 10. Since then, Trump has repeatedly taken credit for defusing tensions while commending Pakistan's leadership for its role. In a notable policy reversal, the Trump administration recently approved $397 million for the maintenance of Pakistan's F-16 fighter jet fleet. The allocation follows a freeze on foreign aid and is designated strictly for counterterrorism operations. A US-monitored oversight mechanism will ensure the aircraft are not used against India, according to a Reuters report. Despite an executive order halting most overseas funding, Washington has granted approximately $5.3 billion in security-related exemptions—with Pakistan's allocation among 243 such cases.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
US general praises Pakistan, motherlode of terrorism, as a 'phenomenal partner'
General Michael Kurilla TOI correspondent from Washington: Despite acknowledging that a Pakistani national plotted terrorist attacks in America as recently as 2024, a top US general has described Pakistan as a "phenomenal partner" in counter-terrorism, ostensibly because the country's military rulers hand over such terrorists to Washington on demand. In testimony before a Congressional panel on Tuesday, General Michael Kurilla, who heads the US Central Command (Centcom) -- which has operational oversight over Pakistan -- lauded Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir for handing over terrorists who attacked the US and its assets, despite Islamabad's refusal to do the same with the terrorists who have attacked India. 'The first [Pakistani] chief of army staff Munir called was me and said, 'I've caught him, I'm willing to extradite him back to the US, please tell the secretary of defense and the president,'' Kurilla told lawmakers while revealing Pakistan's selective response in handing over to US Mohammad Sharifullah, the mastermind behind the August 2021 suicide attack at Abbey Gate in Kabul that killed 13 US service members. Kurilla praise for Pakistan's military came hours after another terrorist identified by the Justice Department as a "Pakistani citizen" was extradited to the US on Monday for a terror plot against a Jewish center in New York. "The foiled 2024 terror plot against a Jewish center in Brooklyn was planned by a Pakistani national to coincide with the one-year anniversary of Hamas' 7 October attack. New York was chosen because of its large Jewish population with the would-be gunman himself stating, 'even if we don't attack an event, we could rack up easily a lot of Jews',' Kurilla told the panel. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Support elderly mothers. Donate Today HelpAge India Donate Now Undo Despite the dissonance in Pakistan's approach to terrorists it spawns, which involves cooperating with US while rejecting India's complaints, Kurilla chose to highlight Pakistan's "value as a partner" in countering terror threats as it pertained to Centcom ops. Operationally, India falls under the US Pacific Command. Still, the testimony revealed a selective US approach towards terrorism that affects India, a dissonance that an Indian parliamentary committee that recently visited Washington underscored in engagements in the US capital. Panel members repeatedly underlined to the US interlocutors that almost every major terrorist who masterminded and pulled off attacks on the US -- from the first attack on World Trade Center in 1993 to 9/11 to the Times Square attack to San Bernardino massacre -- involved Pakistanis who invariably escaped to Pakistan and were captured there before being extradited. "They don't go to Iran or Iraq or Syria or Venezuela or Cuba... they go back to the motherlode of terrorism, Pakistan," one member said in frustration during the visit that made little impression on the Trump administration, recalling the names of Osama bin Laden, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, Ramzi Yousef, Ramzi bin al Shibh, Mir Aimal Kansi, and many others who were captured in Pakistan after terror attacks on the US. The Pakistani imprint on terrorism in the US was established yet again on Tuesday when the Justice Department announced the extradition if Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, whom it described as a "Pakistani citizen residing in Canada" for the Brooklyn terror plot. Rather than hold Pakistan responsible for spawning terrorists, US attorney general Pam Bondi trained her gun at the amorphous terrorist group ISIS, saying, "it remains a clear and present danger to the American people, and our Jewish citizens are especially targeted by evil groups like these."
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump picks next heads of US forces in Europe, Middle East, Africa
President Trump has picked the next three military officers to lead U.S. forces in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Pentagon has announced. Trump is nominating Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich as commander of U.S. European Command, Vice Adm. Brad Cooper to lead U.S. Central Command (Centcom) and Air Force Lt. Gen. Dagvin Anderson to head U.S. Africa Command. The announcements for Cooper and Anderson were made Wednesday, and Grynkewich's happened Thursday. Cooper's nomination is of note as it would be only the second time a Navy admiral would be the top U.S. military officer in the Middle East. Anderson's nomination is also historic because he would be the first Air Force general to lead U.S. forces on the African continent. Grynkewich, an Air Force fighter pilot, has extensive experience as a senior commander in the Middle East and is the director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. If confirmed, he would be become a four-star general and take over as the supreme allied commander of Europe. His pick was met by approval from NATO's North Atlantic Council, which said in a statement Thursday that it approved Grynkewich's nomination as supreme allied commander. Europe has become an increasingly scrutinized theater with Russia's war in Ukraine and the Trump administration's push to have NATO allies spend more of their own dollars on military defenses. The U.S. is also reportedly eying cutting American forces on the continent to focus more on China and and the U.S.-Mexico border. Grynkewich, a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate in 1993, is a key aide to the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and works on guidance for the U.S. combatant commands. Prior to that role, he served as commander of Air Forces in the Middle East, working on air operations in support of Israel's conflicts with surrounding countries, and was director of operations for Centcom. Cooper, a deputy commander of Centcom, has a career serving on ships in the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East region, including as commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. He would replace Army Gen. Erik Kurilla, who is set to retire this summer after more than three years in the role, as Centcom head. Cooper would take over at a volatile time in the region, with Israel continuing its war on Hamas in Gaza despite the U.S. push for a ceasefire deal after 20 months of conflict. The Trump administration also is in negotiations with Iran to curtail Tehran's nuclear program. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in 1989, he has been the deputy at Central Command, since February 2024, playing a key role in Washington's airstrike campaign against the Houthis in Yemen. Prior to that, Cooper led naval forces in the Middle East for nearly three years, heading the Navy's 5th Fleet in Bahrain. The job as Centcom head is of particular note because two recent leaders — former Army Gen. Lloyd Austin and former Marine Gen. Jim Mattis — later went on to serve as Pentagon chief. Anderson, meanwhile, is a pilot who has flown the KC-135 tanker, C-130 transport aircraft and the U-28A surveillance aircraft and currently serves as the director of joint force development on the Joint Staff. He also headed the task force that coordinated the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Somalia and led Special Operations Command Africa from 2019-21, according to the Air Force. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump picks next heads of US forces in Europe, Middle East, Africa
President Trump has picked the next three military officers to lead U.S. forces in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Pentagon has announced. Trump is nominating Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich as commander of U.S. European Command (Eucom), Vice Adm. Brad Cooper to lead U.S. Central Command (Centcom) and Air Force Lt. Gen. Dagvin Anderson to head U.S. Africa Command (Africom). The announcements for Cooper and Anderson were made on Wednesday and on Thursday for Grynkewich. Cooper's nomination is of note as it marks only the second time that a Navy admiral would be the top U.S. military officer in the Middle East, should he be confirmed. Anderson's nomination is also historic as he would be the first Air Force general to lead U.S. forces on the African continent. Grynkewich, an Air Force fighter pilot, has extensive experience as a senior commander in the Middle East and is currently the director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. If confirmed, he would be become a four-star general and also take over as the supreme allied commander of Europe. His pick was met by approval from NATO's North Atlantic Council, which said in a statement Thursday that it approved Grynkewich's nomination as supreme allied commander. Europe has become an increasingly scrutinized theater with Russia's war in Ukraine and the Trump administration's push to have NATO allies spend more of their own dollars on military defenses. The U.S. is also reportedly eying cutting American forces on the continent to focus more on China and and the U.S.-Mexico border. Grynkewich, an U.S. Air Force Academy graduate in 1993, is currently a key aide to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and works on guidance for the U.S. combatant commands. Prior to that role, he served as commander of Air Forces in the Middle East, working on air operations in support of Israel's conflicts with surrounding countries, and was also director of operations for Centcom. Cooper, currently deputy commander of Centcom, has a career serving on ships in the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East region, including as commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. He would replace the current Centcom head Army Gen. Erik Kurilla, who is set to retire this summer after more than three years in the role. Cooper would take over at a volatile time in the region, with Israel continuing its war on Hamas in Gaza despite the U.S. push for a ceasefire deal after 20 months of conflict. The Trump administration also is in negotiations with Iran to curtail Tehran's nuclear program. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in 1989, he has been the deputy at Central Command, since February 2024, playing a key role in Washington's airstrike campaign against the Houthis in Yemen. Prior to that, Cooper led naval forces in the Middle East for nearly three years, heading the Navy's 5th Fleet in Bahrain. The job as Centcom head is of particular note as two recent leaders – former Army Gen. Lloyd Austin and former Marine Gen. Jim Mattis – later went on to serve as Pentagon chief. Anderson, meanwhile, is a pilot who has flown the KC-135 tanker, C-130 transport aircraft and the U-28A surveillance aircraft and currently serves as the director of joint force development on the Joint Staff. He also headed the task force that coordinated the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Somalia and led Special Operations Command Africa from 2019 to 2021, according to the Air Force.
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
US military announces detention of Islamic State leader
WASHINGTON - US military officials announced on June 4 the detention of an Islamic State group (IS) leader during international coalition operations in Iraq and Syria which also killed two other operatives. US Central Command (Centcom) wrote on X that the operations, conducted from May 21 to 27, 'served to disrupt and degrade' IS's ability to 'reconstitute, plan, organise and conduct attacks against civilians and US and partner forces in the region'. In the course of supporting six operations in the ongoing campaign, five in Iraq and one in Syria, the US military reported two IS operatives were killed, two were detained – including an IS leader – and multiple weapons were recovered. 'Operations like these underscore the commitment of Centcom, along with our allies and partners, to the enduring defeat of ISIS in the region,' Centcom Commander Michael Erik Kurilla said in a statement. The operations in Iraq were carried out by Iraqi forces in the north, where IS cells have remained active and carry out sporadic attacks against Iraq's army and police. IS in 2014 declared a 'caliphate' after capturing large parts of Iraq and Syria, beginning a rule marked by atrocities. Iraqi forces backed by the international coalition defeated IS in late 2017. The group lost its last territory in Syria two years later. The group has, however, maintained a presence in Syria's north-east where it notably targets Kurdish-led forces, and in Iraq it largely carries out attacks in rural areas. About 2,500 American troops are deployed in Iraq, which now considers its security forces capable of confronting the jihadists. The US and Iraq announced in late September 2024 that the international coalition would end its decade-long military mission in federal Iraq within a year, and by September 2026 in the autonomous Kurdistan region. During his recent Gulf tour, US President Donald Trump met with Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia and announced lifting sanctions on Syria. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
