Centcom chief praises Pakistan’s counterterrorism cooperation

ISLAMABAD: The United States Central Command has commended Pakistan for its cooperation in counterterrorism operations, with Centcom chief Admiral Brad Cooper describing Islamabad as an important partner in efforts against Daesh in the region.

During a briefing to a US Senate committee, Cooper said Pakistan remained central to the regional campaign against the militant group. "Pakistan, especially, is a critical CT partner that is central to the fight against [Daesh] in the region," he added.

According to the briefing, military cooperation between the United States and Pakistan has produced operational outcomes, including action against high-value targets connected to attacks on American personnel. Centcom said the relationship between the two militaries had yielded concrete results in dealing with individuals accused of involvement in attacks that killed Americans.

"Our strong military-to-military (mil-to-mil) partnership with Islamabad has produced tangible results against high-value individuals with American blood on their hands," Cooper said.

The command also referred to Pakistan’s role in the arrest of Daesh operative Mohammad Sharifullah, who was taken into custody by Pakistan earlier in 2025.

The report recalled remarks made in June 2025 by then-Centcom chief General Michael Kurilla, who had said: "They [Pakistan] have extradited back Jaffar, who was one of the key individuals behind the Abbey Gate bombing."

Centcom said cooperation with Pakistan had helped disrupt militant networks operating across the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.

Alongside security coordination, the US command also highlighted Pakistan’s role in humanitarian response efforts. It said bilateral coordination had been important in enabling American assistance after severe flooding in Pakistan last September.

Centcom said the combined record of security cooperation and humanitarian coordination reflected an enduring friendship and shared resolve between the two countries.

The Daesh operative mentioned in the briefing allegedly assisted in carrying out the 2021 suicide bombing outside Kabul airport during the chaotic withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan.

Counterterrorism cooperation highlighted

The remarks by the Centcom chief underscored Pakistan’s role in regional counterterrorism efforts, particularly in operations linked to Daesh. The US command’s comments focused on both operational cooperation and broader bilateral coordination in response to humanitarian emergencies.

The Senate briefing also placed emphasis on the military-to-military relationship between Islamabad and Washington, which Centcom said had contributed to action against militant networks in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.