US general praises Pakistan, motherlode of terrorism, as a 'phenomenal partner'

Pakistan has been a “phenomenal partner” to the U.S. in countering terrorism, said Gen. Michael Kurilla, the U.S. CENTCOM chief, on Tuesday. Speaking at a House Armed Services Committee Hearing, the Commander said Pakistan’s military has captured “at least five ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K)” terrorists using the intelligence provided by the U.S., and argued in favour of strengthening relation with both India and Pakistan.

“Since the beginning of 2024, Pakistan had over 1,000 terrorist attacks in the western area killing about 700 security (personnel) and civilians, and 2,500 [were] wounded — they are in an active counter-terrorism fight right now and they have been a phenomenal partner in the counter-terrorism world,” said Gen. Kurilla citing the Pakistani military actions against ISIS-K.

Gen. Kurilla appreciated the Pakistan military for arresting Mohammed Sharifullah who was accused of orchestrating and providing material support for the August 26, 2021, suicide blast at Kabul airport that led to the death of at least 13 U.S. military personnel and at least 170 Afghan civilians in the backdrop of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The U.S. had blamed the attack on ISIS-Khorasan elements. Sharifullah, also known by his alias Jaffar, was flown to the U.S. in the first week of March.