Centcom chief: US cannot afford to strain Pakistan ties over India

The head of US Central Command, General Michael Erik Kurilla, has described Washington’s relationship with Pakistan as "vital" to American national security, underscoring the strategic significance of continued cooperation between the two countries. 

General Kurilla stressed that the United States "cannot afford to strain ties with Pakistan for the sake of India," signalling a cautious approach to balancing regional alliances in South Asia, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

General Kurilla praised Pakistan’s success in arresting at least five senior ISIS leaders and confirmed that the country handed over the main suspect involved in the Kabul Airport bombing to the United States. “With Pakistan’s continued cooperation, the US is now close to crushing IS,” he added.

Describing Pakistan as an “exceptional counter-terrorism partner,” Kurilla acknowledged that “close intelligence cooperation with Pakistan has resulted in the killing and arrest of dozens of ISIS-K terrorists.” These include some of the organisation’s most wanted leaders.

He also noted the importance of intelligence sharing, which led to the arrest and extradition of Jafar, the mastermind behind the Kabul airport attack. Following Jafar’s capture, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir personally informed US authorities, Kurilla said.

The general added that Pakistan continues to conduct operations against ISIS-K through limited but effective intelligence cooperation. He noted the terrorist group remains active in the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

General Kurilla concluded that Pakistan’s partnership is “extremely important and effective in the global context of counter-terrorism.”

The ongoing security challenges in Pakistan’s western regions were also highlighted. Since the start of 2024, more than 1,000 terrorist attacks have taken place, resulting in approximately 700 deaths and 2,500 injuries among security personnel and civilians.

Despite these challenges, Kurilla said ISIS Khorasan’s capabilities have diminished significantly due to “the heavy losses they have suffered in recent months.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev