Pakistan arrests Islamic State affiliate’s spokesman labelled as terrorist by the US, reports say

Pakistani authorities have captured a high-profile Islamic State spokesman who was designated as a terrorist by the United States, marking a significant blow to the militant group’s operations in the region, according to state media reports.

Sultan Aziz Azzam, spokesman for the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), was apprehended in May while attempting to cross into Pakistan from neighboring Afghanistan, Pakistan TV reported Thursday. Azzam, who originates from Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province, had been on U.S. authorities’ wanted list since 2021 when the State Department officially designated him a terrorist.

The Pakistani government has yet to issue an official confirmation of the arrest. Security experts suggest the capture could substantially undermine the IS affiliate’s propaganda capabilities at a time when the organization has been seeking to reestablish its presence in the region.

“This arrest coincides with a recent UN report acknowledging Pakistan’s significant achievements against the militant group,” said Syed Muhammad Ali, an Islamabad-based security analyst. He told The Associated Press that these developments will likely force international terror organizations like ISKP to “focus more toward Afghanistan as a haven.”

Pakistan has experienced a troubling increase in militant attacks in recent months, which authorities have primarily attributed to both the Islamic State group’s local affiliate and the Pakistani Taliban, known formally as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The Islamic State Khorasan Province emerged in Afghanistan shortly after IS fighters established their self-proclaimed caliphate across Syria and Iraq in 2014. The name “Khorasan Province” refers to a historical region encompassing parts of Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia during medieval times.

Regional security dynamics have grown increasingly complex since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in August 2021. The TTP, while separate from their Afghan counterparts, have been emboldened by this development, with many of their leaders and fighters finding sanctuary across the border. Pakistani officials have repeatedly urged Afghan authorities to take action against these TTP elements operating from Afghan territory.

Tensions between the neighboring countries escalated significantly last October when Pakistan’s military conducted strikes inside Afghanistan, targeting what they described as TTP hideouts. Pakistani officials claimed these operations killed dozens of insurgents, while Afghan authorities countered that the casualties were civilians and responded with strikes against Pakistani military positions.

The military confrontation eventually led to a ceasefire brokered in Doha, Qatar, followed by talks in Istanbul that ended without a conclusive resolution. This diplomatic impasse underscores the ongoing challenges in managing cross-border militancy in the region.

The arrest of Azzam represents a rare success in the fight against militant groups that continue to threaten stability across South and Central Asia. The Islamic State Khorasan Province has been responsible for numerous deadly attacks in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, targeting civilians, security forces, and religious minorities.

Security analysts point out that while the arrest is significant, it comes amid a broader resurgence of militant activity in the region. The power vacuum created by the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan has allowed various extremist groups to regroup and intensify their operations, presenting continuing challenges to regional governments.

Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts have intensified in recent years as the country grapples with the persistent threat posed by multiple militant organizations operating within its borders and from neighboring territories.