Islamabad (Web Desk): Pakistani intelligence agencies have delivered a decisive setback to Daesh, also known as Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), by capturing its spokesperson and the architect of its media network, the Al-Azaim Foundation, Sultan Aziz Azzam, during a targeted operation close to the Pakistan–Afghanistan border.
Officials familiar with the matter said the Al-Azaim Foundation served as the backbone of ISIS-K’s recruitment drive and propaganda machinery, making the arrest particularly damaging for the group.
Although the operation took place several months ago, authorities chose to reveal the development only recently. Security sources confirmed that soon after Azzam was taken into custody, ISIS-K’s media output and propaganda campaigns were effectively brought to a halt.
In recent days, Pakistan has stepped up its counterterrorism actions against ISIS-K, resulting in a series of high-profile detentions.
Among them was the arrest of Sultan Aziz Azzam on May 16, 2025, which officials described as a major breakthrough against the militant outfit.
The development has also been cited in the 16th report issued by the United Nations Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which observed that Pakistan’s measures have weakened ISIS-K’s organisational capacity on a global scale.
According to officials, several planned terrorist attacks were thwarted during these operations, while the number of active militants associated with the group has dropped significantly.
Security sources said the arrests of Sultan Aziz Azzam and senior ISIS-K figure Abu Yasir al-Turki in May 2025 have sharply reduced the group’s ability to operate.
As a result, key propaganda channels, including the platform known as “Voice of Khorasan,” have also gone offline, further limiting the group’s reach and influence.