The United States government has offered rewards of up to $18 million for information that could help identify or locate two senior leaders of the Islamic State Khorasan Province, commonly known as ISIS-K.
The rewards were announced through the US Department of State’s Rewards for Justice programme as part of Washington’s efforts to disrupt the leadership and operations of the Afghanistan-based terrorist organisation.
The programme is offering up to $8 million for information leading to the identification or location of Shahab al-Muhajir, also known as Sanaullah Ghafari, who has been described as the leader of ISIS-K.
Ghafari, who was born in Afghanistan in 1994, was appointed leader of ISIS-K by the group’s central leadership in June 2020. US authorities said he is responsible for approving ISIS-K operations in Afghanistan and arranging funding for the group’s activities.
The second reward, worth up to $10 million, is for information on another senior ISIS-K figure identified as Obaidullah, who is also known by the names Salahuddin and Maulawi Rajab.
According to the US authorities, Obaidullah plays a role in planning ISIS-K attacks and operations, commands groups involved in terrorist attacks and helps manage the organisation’s finances through its al-Siddiq Office.
The al-Siddiq Office is described as a regional ISIS directorate responsible for overseeing the group's activities across parts of Asia and providing financial support to ISIS branches and networks.
US authorities said Obaidullah is a close associate of Ghafari and has been connected to multiple ISIS-K plots targeting American, European and Middle Eastern interests.
The US government also linked individuals associated with Obaidullah to the March 2024 attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Moscow, Russia, where 145 people were killed in a mass shooting and bombing.
The United States has continued to focus on ISIS-K because of the group's ability to operate across borders and its history of planning or inspiring attacks beyond Afghanistan.
ISIS-K emerged in Afghanistan and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2015. The group has since carried out attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan and has claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks.
Among the attacks attributed to the organisation was the August 2021 bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul during the US-led evacuation from Afghanistan. The attack killed 13 US military personnel and around 160 civilians.
The group has also been linked to attacks against civilians, religious minorities and government targets in Afghanistan.
The US government designated ISIS-K as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in January 2016, following an earlier designation of the group as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist organisation.
Obaidullah was separately designated by the US as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in November 2021.
The latest reward offers are part of Washington's broader strategy of using financial incentives to obtain information that could assist in locating senior terrorist figures and disrupting their networks.
The Rewards for Justice programme has historically offered substantial financial rewards for information that helps authorities prevent terrorist attacks or locate individuals involved in international terrorism.
The US government is encouraging people with credible information about the two ISIS-K leaders to submit tips through its official reporting channels.
Authorities have emphasised that information provided through the programme can assist efforts to disrupt terrorist financing, prevent attacks and bring senior members of terrorist organisations to justice.
The latest announcement also underscores the continued security threat posed by ISIS-K, particularly as the group seeks to maintain its operations and expand its network despite pressure from security forces.
For the United States, locating senior commanders such as Ghafari and Obaidullah could potentially disrupt the organisation's operational planning, financing and ability to coordinate attacks.
The $18 million combined reward therefore represents a significant escalation in efforts to obtain information about the group's leadership and weaken its activities.
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