U.S. CENTCOM Commander General Michael Kurilla has lauded Pakistan as a "phenomenal partner" in the ongoing fight against terrorism. Speaking before the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, General Kurilla highlighted Pakistan's crucial role in combating ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K) and other militant groups.

General Kurilla stated that Pakistan's military has captured at least five ISIS-K terrorists using intelligence provided by the United States. He also noted Pakistan's arrest of Mohammed Sharifullah, who is accused of orchestrating the 2021 suicide bombing at Kabul airport, which resulted in the deaths of numerous U.S. military personnel and Afghan civilians. Sharifullah was subsequently extradited to the U.S. in March. According to General Kurilla, Pakistan has been actively targeting Daesh (ISIS-Khorasan), particularly in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, and has killed dozens of them.

The CENTCOM chief emphasized the importance of the U.S. maintaining strong relationships with both Pakistan and India to advance its security goals. He dismissed the notion that the U.S. must choose between the two, stating, "We have to have a relationship 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 added that Pakistan's actions were eroding ISIS-K, which has carried out attacks in Russia and Iran.

General Kurilla also acknowledged the close coordination between U.S. and Pakistani military leaders, recalling that Pakistan's army chief, General Asim Munir, personally informed him of a major capture. "Field Marshal Asim Munir called me to tell me they had captured one of the Daesh-K individuals," he said.

Kurilla's praise for Pakistan comes at a time when India has been intensifying its efforts to highlight Pakistan's alleged role in cross-border terrorism, particularly following the April terror attack in Pahalgam.

Despite acknowledging a complex history of counterterrorism cooperation, General Kurilla emphasized Pakistan's recent efforts and the tangible results achieved through intelligence sharing and joint operations. He pointed out that since the beginning of 2024, Pakistan has experienced over 1,000 terrorist attacks in its western region, resulting in approximately 700 fatalities among security personnel and civilians, and 2,500 injuries, underscoring the country's active engagement in counter-terrorism efforts.

While some observers have noted a "selective" approach by Pakistan in handling terrorists, cooperating with the U.S. while allegedly rejecting India's concerns, General Kurilla focused on Pakistan's value as a partner in countering terror threats relevant to CENTCOM operations.

The CENTCOM chief's statements reaffirm the importance of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship in addressing regional security challenges and combating terrorism.