In a recent surge of border tensions, air strikes conducted by Pakistan‘s military on the border regions of Afghanistan resulted in the death of eight civilians, which the Afghan Taliban described as “reckless.” These events have caused an increase in hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan, especially since the latter has accused the former of harboring militants that launch attacks from Afghan territory.
Afghanistan’s defence ministry said its border forces retaliated by targeting Pakistan’s military posts along the border with “heavy weapons”. Cross-border skirmishes in the region were reported by both sides on Monday, the latest in a string of incidents on the disputed frontier.
The escalation is part of ongoing disputes since the Taliban’s rise to power in 2021, with Islamabad consistently alleging that militant factions, including the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, a faction of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), have been staging attacks from Afghan soil.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry acknowledged conducting “anti-terrorist operations” specifically targeting the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, attributing the surge in violence along the border to this faction, which is known for its opposition to Pakistani state forces.
According to a report in Dawn, Bahadur’s terror group going rogue against Pakistan is a classic example of “Good Taliban gone bad”. Since the beginning of the US war on terror, Pakistan had been trying to crate an artificial classification of Taliban militants to serve its strategic purpose against US and India. Those militants who were seen not carrying attacks against Pakistan’s security forces were called “good Taliban”. Those who made no distinction between US and Pakistan, and were fighting to establish an Islamic rule in Pakistan too, were called “bad Taliban”. Now, many of “good Taliban” have turned back into “bad Taliban” and have come back to haunt Pakistan.
Who is Hafiz Gul Bahadur
According to a profile in Dawn, Bahadur comes from the Mada Khel clan of the Uthmanzai Wazir tribe in North Waziristan, adjacent to Afghanistan. He is acknowledged as a descendant of the Faqir of Ipi, renowned for his defiance against British rule during the 1930s and 1940s.
Early involvements: Details of Bahadur’s early life remain scant, but reports from local journalists and tribal elders indicate his initial political activities were linked to the student wing of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F). His path mirrors that of other regional militants who engaged in combat alongside the Afghan Taliban against the Northern Alliance, likely under the auspices of the Haqqani Network in Miran Shah since the 1990s, the Dawn report said.
Post-2001 dynamics: Following the onset of the US-led intervention in Afghanistan in 2001, militants from various factions sought refuge across the border in Pakistan’s tribal belts, including North Waziristan. Bahadur and local militants, having previously aligned with the Taliban in Afghanistan, offered sanctuary to these groups in their homeland.
Ascendancy and conflict
Although Pakistan publicly joined the “war on terror” post-2001, the initial wave of militants entering North Waziristan was met with passive resistance. This stance shifted dramatically following two assassination attempts on President Musharraf, compelling Pakistan to initiate military campaigns in the area in 2004.
Contrary to their intended purpose, these military efforts unified the militants, enhancing their resistance towards local governance structures. The situation intensified following the elimination of local Taliban figure Nek Muhammad in 2004, spreading conflict beyond the Wana and Shakai regions.
Shifting Alliances: By 2005, Bahadur, alongside his deputy Maulvi Sadiq Noor, initially resisted efforts to drive out foreign militants. Nevertheless, by 2006, his approach veered, culminating in a peace pact with the Pakistani government. This accord alienated certain foreign militant factions, notably the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), which accused him of betraying their cause.
Post-agreement, Bahadur set up a Shura council to administrate the region, introducing taxes and penalties. This development hinted at a form of collaboration with the Pakistani authorities, effectively elevating him to the status of local Taliban leader in North Waziristan.
Despite the peace deal with the Pakistani government, Bahadur maintained connections with the Afghan Taliban, reportedly running a suicide bomber training facility in Dattakhel for operations in Afghanistan. This area became notably targeted by numerous US drone strikes against both foreign and local militants, the Dawn report said.
“According to militancy experts, Bahadur’s group continues to benefit from its ties to influential groups such as the Haqqani Network, Al Qaeda, and even the TTP, despite maintaining a separate identity,” the Dawn report said.
(With inputs from agencies)
Afghanistan’s defence ministry said its border forces retaliated by targeting Pakistan’s military posts along the border with “heavy weapons”. Cross-border skirmishes in the region were reported by both sides on Monday, the latest in a string of incidents on the disputed frontier.
The escalation is part of ongoing disputes since the Taliban’s rise to power in 2021, with Islamabad consistently alleging that militant factions, including the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, a faction of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), have been staging attacks from Afghan soil.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry acknowledged conducting “anti-terrorist operations” specifically targeting the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, attributing the surge in violence along the border to this faction, which is known for its opposition to Pakistani state forces.
According to a report in Dawn, Bahadur’s terror group going rogue against Pakistan is a classic example of “Good Taliban gone bad”. Since the beginning of the US war on terror, Pakistan had been trying to crate an artificial classification of Taliban militants to serve its strategic purpose against US and India. Those militants who were seen not carrying attacks against Pakistan’s security forces were called “good Taliban”. Those who made no distinction between US and Pakistan, and were fighting to establish an Islamic rule in Pakistan too, were called “bad Taliban”. Now, many of “good Taliban” have turned back into “bad Taliban” and have come back to haunt Pakistan.
Who is Hafiz Gul Bahadur
According to a profile in Dawn, Bahadur comes from the Mada Khel clan of the Uthmanzai Wazir tribe in North Waziristan, adjacent to Afghanistan. He is acknowledged as a descendant of the Faqir of Ipi, renowned for his defiance against British rule during the 1930s and 1940s.
Early involvements: Details of Bahadur’s early life remain scant, but reports from local journalists and tribal elders indicate his initial political activities were linked to the student wing of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F). His path mirrors that of other regional militants who engaged in combat alongside the Afghan Taliban against the Northern Alliance, likely under the auspices of the Haqqani Network in Miran Shah since the 1990s, the Dawn report said.
Post-2001 dynamics: Following the onset of the US-led intervention in Afghanistan in 2001, militants from various factions sought refuge across the border in Pakistan’s tribal belts, including North Waziristan. Bahadur and local militants, having previously aligned with the Taliban in Afghanistan, offered sanctuary to these groups in their homeland.
Ascendancy and conflict
Although Pakistan publicly joined the “war on terror” post-2001, the initial wave of militants entering North Waziristan was met with passive resistance. This stance shifted dramatically following two assassination attempts on President Musharraf, compelling Pakistan to initiate military campaigns in the area in 2004.
Contrary to their intended purpose, these military efforts unified the militants, enhancing their resistance towards local governance structures. The situation intensified following the elimination of local Taliban figure Nek Muhammad in 2004, spreading conflict beyond the Wana and Shakai regions.
Shifting Alliances: By 2005, Bahadur, alongside his deputy Maulvi Sadiq Noor, initially resisted efforts to drive out foreign militants. Nevertheless, by 2006, his approach veered, culminating in a peace pact with the Pakistani government. This accord alienated certain foreign militant factions, notably the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), which accused him of betraying their cause.
Post-agreement, Bahadur set up a Shura council to administrate the region, introducing taxes and penalties. This development hinted at a form of collaboration with the Pakistani authorities, effectively elevating him to the status of local Taliban leader in North Waziristan.
Despite the peace deal with the Pakistani government, Bahadur maintained connections with the Afghan Taliban, reportedly running a suicide bomber training facility in Dattakhel for operations in Afghanistan. This area became notably targeted by numerous US drone strikes against both foreign and local militants, the Dawn report said.
“According to militancy experts, Bahadur’s group continues to benefit from its ties to influential groups such as the Haqqani Network, Al Qaeda, and even the TTP, despite maintaining a separate identity,” the Dawn report said.
(With inputs from agencies)
