Fri Dec 19 15:39:45 UTC 2025: Summary:
A senior Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) leader, Sultan Aziz Azam, was captured by Pakistan on May 16, 2025, but the arrest was kept secret to facilitate counterterrorism operations. Azam, also a spokesman for the group, was considered a top IS-K leader in the region. The arrest was reported in a UN Security Council report in November. IS-K has claimed responsibility for several attacks in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and beyond, including a deadly attack at a Moscow concert hall in 2024. The UN report says that efforts by Pakistan and Taliban authorities have weakened IS-K, but the group remains resilient. The arrest comes amid strained relations between Pakistan and the Taliban, with Pakistan accusing the Taliban of harboring militants.
News Article:
Pakistan Captures Top IS-K Leader in Secret Operation
Islamabad – December 19, 2025 – In a significant blow to the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K), Pakistan has captured Sultan Aziz Azam, a key leader and spokesman for the terror group, according to a senior intelligence official. The arrest, which occurred on May 16, was kept under wraps to allow for ongoing counterterrorism investigations.
The news surfaced after a UN Security Council sanctions monitoring report revealed Azam’s capture in November. The intelligence official confirmed to AFP that Azam was not only a spokesperson but also considered a high-ranking leader within IS-K.
IS-K, the local branch of the Islamic State group, has claimed responsibility for devastating attacks across the region, including the massacre at a Moscow concert hall in March 2024, which claimed over 140 lives. The group has also been responsible for numerous attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
While the exact location of Azam’s capture remains undisclosed, the arrest comes amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan. Pakistan has accused the Taliban of providing safe haven to militants on Afghan soil, a charge the Taliban denies.
A recent UN report acknowledges that counterterrorism efforts by both Pakistan and the Taliban have degraded IS-K’s capabilities. However, the report also warns that the group remains resilient, with an estimated 2,000 fighters and ongoing recruitment efforts to establish sleeper cells for future attacks.
The Jamestown Foundation, a US-based think-tank, identifies Azam as a native of Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, considered an IS-K stronghold. Before joining the group in 2015, Azam was known as a poet and writer whose work frequently appeared on social media.
The capture of Azam represents a major victory in the ongoing fight against terrorism in the region, but also highlights the challenges posed by IS-K’s continued resilience and recruitment efforts.
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