Islamic State's regional branch, ISIS-K, remains active in Pakistan alongside the TTP. In February 2026 it claimed a suicide bombing at a Shia mosque on Islamabad's outskirts that killed at least 31 people, the capital's deadliest attack since 2008. Pakistani operations against ISIS-K, aided by US intelligence, have been praised by US commanders.
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A suicide bomber attacked a Shia mosque in Tarlai Kalan, Islamabad, during Friday prayers, killing at least 31; the Islamic State group claimed responsibility
ISIS-K is the threat on which US and Pakistani priorities align most closely, given its attacks on US forces and its global ambitions. Its persistence keeps counterterrorism at the centre of the relationship.
