Latest news with #IS-KP
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
US reaffirms support for India's anti-terror fight, but its Military General says ties with Pakistan also vital
The US State Department reaffirmed its strong support for India in its fight against terrorism. At the same time, a senior US military official emphasised the importance of maintaining relations with Pakistan, citing its military's role in countering the Islamic State – Khorasan Province (IS-KP). State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on Tuesday that Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau 'met with the Indian parliamentary delegation last week, and he also reaffirmed the United States' strong support for India in the fight against terrorism, and the strategic partnership between the two countries.' The multi-party delegation, led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, visited Washington as part of India's global outreach campaign following Operation Sindoor. India launched this operation in response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed 26 lives. Meanwhile, during a House Armed Services Committee hearing, General Michael Kurilla, chief of US Central Command, described Pakistan as 'phenomenal partner' in counter-terrorism efforts. He highlighted Pakistan's military and Army Chief Asim Munir for their work against IS-KP. 'The actions of our Pakistani partners that led to the arrest and extradition of Mohammad Sharifullah, the IS-K planner behind the August 26, 2021 suicide attack at Abbey Gate that killed 13 US service members and approximately 160 civilians, underscore Pakistan's value in countering global terror threats,' Kurilla said. 'That's why we need to maintain relationships with both Pakistan and India. I do not believe it's a binary choice, you can't choose one at the expense of the other,' he added. 'We should evaluate these relationships based on their merits.'
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First Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Top US general defends ties with Pakistan despite its terror record, also backs 'relationship' with India
US Central Command chief Gen. Michael Kurilla called Pakistan a 'phenomenal partner' in counter-terrorism and praised the role of the Pakistani military and Army Chief Asim Munir in the fight against ISIS-Khorasan (IS-KP), according to a report read more A top US general has said that the United States must maintain ties with both India and Pakistan due to the Pakistani military's role in combating the threat from Islamic State-Khorasan Province, comments that may not sit well with New Delhi. The Islamic State -Khorasan Province is a regional branch of the Salafi jihadist group Islamic State active in Central and South Asia, primarily Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. According to a Hindustan Times report, US Central Command chief Gen. Michael Kurilla, who is set to retire this summer, called Pakistan a 'phenomenal partner' in counter-terrorism and praised the role of the Pakistani military and Army Chief Asim Munir in the fight against ISIS-Khorasan, also known as IS-KP. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'That's why we need…to have a relationship with Pakistan and with India. I do not believe it is a binary switch that we can't have one with Pakistan if we have a relationship with India,' HT quoted Kurilla as saying while answering questions from members of the panel. 'We should look at the merits of the relationship for the positives that it has,' he added. There was no immediate response to Kurilla's comments from Indian officials, added the report. His comments come as India has stepped up efforts to highlight Pakistan's backing of cross-border terrorism, following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed 26 lives. Following the attack, India carried out precision strikes under 'Operation Sindoor' on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir early on May 7. After the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10. The Indian forces launched a fierce counter-attack on several Pakistani military installations. India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes. Indian officials, including External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, have stressed that victims of terrorism and the perpetrators of attacks like the one in Pahalgam should not be equated. New Delhi has also expressed frustration over several countries hyphenating India and Pakistan together in the wake of last month's military clashes. The US Central Command (CENTCOM), headquartered in Florida, oversees military operations across 21 countries in West, Central, and South Asia, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. In contrast, military relations with India fall under the Hawaii-based US Indo-Pacific Command. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Gen. Kurilla said that ISIS-K, based in Afghanistan, is among the most active terrorist groups planning attacks globally, including threats to the US homeland. He said the Afghan Taliban have targeted ISIS-K, pushing many of its fighters into the tribal regions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Kurilla said that Islamabad is targeting ISIS-Khorasan using limited intelligence support from the US. He added that Pakistan has faced roughly 1,000 terrorist attacks since the beginning of 2024, resulting in the deaths of around 700 security personnel and 2,500 civilians. 'Through a phenomenal partnership with Pakistan, they have gone after ISIS-Khorasan, killing dozens of them. Through a relationship we have with them, [and] providing intelligence, they have captured at least five ISIS-Khorasan high-value individuals,' HT quoted him as saying. Kurilla said Pakistan extradited Mohammad Sharifullah, also known as Jafar, a key figure behind the August 2021 suicide bombing at Kabul airport that killed 13 US service members and 160 civilians during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The first person…the (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,'' he said. Kurilla also told the committee that Pakistan's importance as a counter-terrorism partner in Central and South Asia 'will only grow as the Taliban continues to grapple with internal security challenges.' With inputs from agencies
News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
'Need Ties With Both India & Pakistan': US Central Command Chief Gen Kurilla
Last Updated: General Michael Kurilla, who is set to retire this summer, commended Pakistan as an 'outstanding partner' in counterterrorism US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief General Michael Kurilla recently underscored the importance of the United States maintaining relationships with both India and Pakistan. Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Kurilla emphasised Pakistan's critical role in counterterrorism efforts against the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-KP), as reported by the Hindustan Times. General Kurilla, who is set to retire this summer, commended Pakistan as an 'outstanding partner" in counterterrorism. This statement comes at a time when India has been increasing its diplomatic efforts to highlight Pakistan's involvement in cross-border terrorism, particularly after the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22. Indian officials, including external affairs minister S Jaishankar, have consistently cautioned against equating victims and perpetrators of terrorism. Kurilla clarified that the US relationship with India and Pakistan is not mutually exclusive. 'We need to have relationships with both Pakistan and India. It is not a binary choice where having one relationship excludes the other," he stated, encouraging lawmakers to recognise the benefits of each relationship. The CENTCOM chief detailed Pakistan's actions against IS-KP, a group based in Afghanistan that he characterised as highly active in planning global terrorist activities, including those targeting the US. He explained that while the Afghan Taliban has taken action against IS-KP, many fighters have relocated to the tribal areas along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. 'Through an excellent partnership with Pakistan, they have targeted and eliminated dozens of IS-KP members. With the intelligence we provide, they have captured at least five high-value IS-KP individuals," said Kurilla. He also highlighted Pakistan's extradition of Mohammad Sharifullah, alias Jafar, who was involved in the August 2021 Kabul airport attack that killed 13 American soldiers. Kurilla revealed that Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Asim Munir, personally informed him of Jafar's capture and the willingness to extradite him. General Kurilla stressed that Pakistan's partnership in countering terrorist threats in Central and South Asia 'will only become more significant as the Taliban continues to face security challenges within Afghanistan". First Published:
Express Tribune
11-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Pak, China push regional shift with Afghanistan
Listen to article A trilateral meeting amongst Pakistan-Afghanistan and China on Saturday agreed on regional realignment and extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project to Afghanistan. It was also agreed on the strategic front that Indian influence in Afghanistan would be limited to diplomatic missions, if the alignment worked in a proper manner, sources said. The decisionsconfirmed after a closed-door meeting among Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, China's special envoy Yue Xiaoyong, and Pakistan's Special Representative Mohammad Sadiq — signal a bold move toward regional realignment. Sources said the Afghan Taliban have silently supported Islamabad's stance on the neutral investigation of the April 22 Pahalgam incident and would keep their distance from the Indian club. After multiple meetings including one-on-one meetings on Friday night and Saturday, it was decided that the Afghan Taliban will host the sixth round of trilateral foreign ministers' talks with China and Pakistan in Kabul. These will be the first high-level negotiations to take place under the Taliban's leadership, source added. China and Pakistan also greenlighted support for deeper political and economic cooperation with Afghanistan while sidelining Western influence in South and Central Asia. Sources said China would support the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan politically and economically which will also be connected with regional countries through road links. As part of the ongoing trilateral engagements, Pakistan's special envoy joined the Chinese special representative in a meeting with Afghan Commerce Minister Azizi. The special envoy termed the meetings as constructive and helpful in strengthening trade and economic cooperation. The three sides agreed to build on the understandings from the May 2023 FM-level trilateral in Islamabad, especially on extending CPEC to Afghanistan. The trip of Pakistan's special envoy was aimed at gaining support from neighboring countries on Pakistan-India conflict, regional connection on Chinese initiatives, and on wiping out terrorist group IS-KP from Afghan soil, sources added. In a post on X, Ambassador Sadiq noted that the first trilateral Pakistan-China-Afghanistan meeting provided an opportunity for convergence of views on economic and security cooperation as well as regional stability.
