Pakistani Security Forces Neutralize Bengali Militant in Karak Amid Escalating ISIS-Khorasan Threat. ISKP's international character is evident in its diverse fighter pool: core Afghan and Pakistani Pashtuns, supplemented by Uzbek, Tajik, and now Bengali and Azerbaijani recruits.

Karak, KPK– Sept 27, 2025 - In a significant counterterrorism operation, Pakistani security forces neutralized a high-value Bengali militant affiliated with the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) in the rugged terrain of Karak district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), officials confirmed today. The operation, led by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), underscores the persistent infiltration of foreign fighters into Pakistan's volatile border regions, even as local media remains notably tight-lipped on the broader implications of such incidents.

The militant, identified only as a Bangladeshi national through preliminary intelligence, was taken out during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the outskirts of Karak, a district long plagued by militant hideouts and cross-border incursions. According to CTD sources speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter, the suspect was part of a small cell plotting attacks on security installations and civilian targets in KPK. Weapons, explosives, and ISKP propaganda materials were recovered from the site, pointing to active recruitment and operational planning by the group.

This neutralization comes just weeks after a separate CTD raid in Khyber district on September 19, where three ISKP operatives—including two locals from Karak, Muhammad Naeem alias Abdul Nasir and Muhammad Karim—were killed in a fierce firefight. Those militants were directly linked to orchestrating a deadly suicide bombing on May 11, 2025, in the Chamkani area of Peshawar, which claimed the lives of two police officers and injured several others. The attack, claimed by ISKP through its Amaq News Agency, highlighted the group's tactical evolution, using foreign recruits for high-impact operations.

In a development reported by independent Pakistani journalists citing CTD briefings, the Chamkani bomber has now been positively identified as Imran Gloaoff, a 28-year-old from Azerbaijan. Gloaoff, who entered Pakistan via Afghanistan in early 2025, had trained in ISKP camps in Nangarhar province before being dispatched for the mission. Forensic evidence from the blast site, including DNA traces and digital footprints from seized devices, corroborated his identity. Azerbaijani authorities, in coordination with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), confirmed Gloaoff's radicalization in Baku through online ISKP networks before his relocation to South Asia.

The involvement of Gloaoff marks a rare instance of Caucasian fighters in Pakistani operations, expanding ISKP's recruitment beyond its traditional South and Central Asian base. Analysts note that ISKP has increasingly drawn in foreign militants from as far as Bangladesh, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan to bolster its ranks amid losses to Pakistani and Afghan operations. The Bengali militant killed in Karak is believed to have been part of this influx, potentially handling logistics for cross-border supply lines from Afghanistan's Kunar and Nangarhar provinces.

ISKP: A Transnational Jihadist Network

The string of foreign-linked incidents raises a critical question: Is ISKP merely a regional insurgency, or has it evolved into a full-fledged international Islamic terror movement? While Pakistani mainstream media has shied away from in-depth coverage—focusing instead on routine security briefings—the evidence points to the latter.

Formed in 2015 as the Islamic State's "Khorasan Province" (encompassing parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asia), ISKP has orchestrated over 100 attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan alone, killing or injuring more than 1,200 people, predominantly civilians. In 2025, the group has intensified its global ambitions, claiming responsibility for high-profile strikes beyond South Asia, including the January twin bombings in Iran's Kerman (nearly 100 dead), a church assault in Istanbul, and the March Crocus City Hall massacre near Moscow (over 130 killed). U.S. intelligence assessments describe ISKP as "one of ISIS's most lethal branches," capable of exporting violence to Europe and even plotting against the U.S. homeland.

ISKP's international character is evident in its diverse fighter pool: core Afghan and Pakistani Pashtuns, supplemented by Uzbek, Tajik, and now Bengali and Azerbaijani recruits. Funding flows from global donations, extortion, and cryptocurrency, while propaganda in multiple languages—Urdu, Pashto, Dari, Uzbek, and English—targets diaspora communities worldwide. The group's Al-Sadiq office coordinates operations across "Khorasan," with direct ties to ISIS core in Iraq and Syria, though it operates semi-autonomously.

In Pakistan, ISKP's attacks have surged 60% since the Afghan Taliban's 2021 takeover, exploiting porous borders and Taliban infighting. The May Chamkani bombing and today's Karak operation reflect a pattern: foreign suicide bombers for spectacular hits, local facilitators for sustainment. U.N. reports warn of ISKP's recruitment from Central Asian states, with over 1,500-2,200 fighters active, plotting urban assaults in Peshawar and Lahore.

Experts, including those from the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, argue that ISKP's resilience—despite Taliban crackdowns—stems from its ideological rigidity and adaptability. "Unlike localized groups like TTP, ISKP views the caliphate as borderless," said a senior analyst. "The Bengali and Azerbaijani links aren't anomalies; they're proof of a transnational jihadist ecosystem."

Pakistan's Response and the Media Silence

Pakistan's military has ramped up operations under Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, neutralizing dozens of ISKP militants in KPK and Balochistan this year. Yet, challenges persist: safe havens in Afghanistan, where the Taliban has failed to dismantle ISKP per U.N. pledges, and domestic political instability that hampers unified action.

The silence from Pakistani media on ISKP's global reach is telling. Outlets like Dawn and The Express Tribune report operational details but avoid framing it as an "international movement," possibly to downplay foreign involvement and maintain focus on state resilience. Independent journalists, however, have filled the gap, citing CTD leaks and international reports to highlight the threat.

As Pakistan braces for more incursions ahead of winter, today's Karak success offers a momentary win. But with ISKP's shadow stretching from Baku to Bengal, the fight against this borderless terror demands more than silence—it calls for regional and global vigilance.