KEY POINTS:
- Azzam founded ISKP media wing Al-Azzaim Foundation.
- Arrest disrupts ISKP propaganda and recruitment operations.
- ISKP platforms like Voice of Khorasan impacted.
- UN listed Azzam for ISIL-K financing and recruitment.
- US designated him a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
- Arrest signifies major setback to ISKP’s regional operations.
ISLAMABAD: In a major success against terrorism, Pakistani intelligence agencies have arrested Sultan Aziz Azzam, a high-profile spokesman and founding father of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP also known as ISIS-K) media outlet, Al-Azzaim Foundation, as confirmed by government authorities.
The arrest is a part of a series of major counter-terrorism actions launched by Pakistan against ISKP this year, which reflect the country’s efforts to break down the organisational infrastructure of ISKP and destroy its command structure. It has already had an impact on ISKP’s propaganda efforts, including its popular propaganda outlets like Voice of Khorasan, as Azzam was involved with the latter.
Islamabad-based security analyst Syed Muhammad Ali said that Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency arrested ISKP Spokesman five months ago, but this news has surfaced after the recent UN report, which recognised Pakistan’s major gains against ISKP.
“Such high-profile ISKP losses have forced the international terrorist organisation to shift its focus more towards Afghanistan as a safe haven for terrorist activities in this region,” he said.
This disclosure has emerged within days after an Indian citizen and his Australian-born son, linked with the Islamic State, were involved in a major attack on Sydney beach, which caused at least 15 deaths and led to worldwide condemnations, Ali said.
Profile and background
As reported by the official UN website, Sultan Aziz Azzam was included in the list as of April 26, 2023, because of financing, planning, recruitment, as well as conducting activities in support of ISIL-K. Since ISIL-K’s emergence in Afghanistan in 2015, Azzam was their spokesperson. By using his previous background as an Afghan journalist, Azzam raised the profile of the group through propaganda.
Born in 1978, in the Nangarhar Province in Afghanistan, Azzam was previously an advisor at the Nangarhar Provincial Council before becoming a full-fledged militant. He attained a degree in Law in 2005 at the University of Nangarhar and was employed at an FM radio station in Jalalabad. This was where he gained skills in the media that he later utilised while working as an ISKP propaganda agent. However, he became an ISKP member in 2016, frustrated with the Afghan Taliban (TTA). As the ISKP propaganda chief, he was responsible for the group’s propaganda messages, which greatly raised the group’s profile.
He took credit for the suicide attack in August 2021 at Hamid Karzai International Airport, which resulted in the deaths of over 180 people. He confirmed that the ISIL-K emir, Sanaullah Ghafari, oversaw the attack.
He was involved in overseeing all the media-related activities, releasing statements, overseeing the recruitment campaigns, and increasing their online presence through various social media platforms. Azzam is also recognised by the United States government as “Specially Designated Global Terrorist”, noted on the list since November 22, 2021.
Strategic importance of the arrest
Security experts point out that the arrest of Azzam is a significant setback to the operations of ISKP, as it disrupts their coordination of propaganda, recruitment channels, and operations.
The absence of Azzam, together with high-ranking commander Abu Yasser al-Turki, has reduced ISKP’s technical capabilities, leading to a halt in vital propaganda platforms, such as Voice of Khorasan. The arrest is also an indicator that the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region, which has been exploited by militant groups, still faces security threats.
