US Offers Up To $8 Million Reward For Information Leading To ISIS-K Leader Sanaullah Ghafari

The State Department said Ghafari, also known as Shahab al-Muhajir, was born in Afghanistan in 1994 and currently leads ISIS-K, the regional affiliate of the Islamic State group operating in Afghanistan and neighboring countries.

According to the Rewards for Justice program, Ghafari was appointed leader of ISIS-K by the group's central leadership in June 2020. Before assuming the leadership role, he operated in Kabul and was involved in planning and coordinating armed attacks, including suicide bombings and other complex operations.

The State Department said Ghafari is responsible for approving ISIS-K attacks in Afghanistan and overseeing the group's financial resources used to support its operations.

In a separate announcement, the United States also offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or capture of Obaidullah, whom it described as a senior ISIS-K commander and the group's financial chief.

The Rewards for Justice program said Obaidullah has played a key role in financing ISIS-K, planning attacks, and directing the group's operational units.

The United States has designated ISIS-K as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The group has claimed responsibility for a series of deadly attacks in Afghanistan in recent years, including attacks targeting civilians, religious minorities, Taliban officials, and foreign interests.

United Nations reports have identified ISIS-K as one of Afghanistan's most significant security threats, warning that the group retains the ability to conduct attacks inside Afghanistan while maintaining links with militant networks across the wider region.

Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have repeatedly announced operations against ISIS-K and said they have significantly weakened the group's presence in Afghanistan. However, the United Nations and other international organizations continue to warn that ISIS-K remains capable of carrying out attacks and sustaining regional operations despite counterterrorism efforts.

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