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Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group
Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group (Urdu: حافظ گل بہادر گروپ , abbr. HGBG) is a faction of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) based in North Waziristan and surrounding districts of the former FATA region in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The group is led by tribal leader Hafiz Gul Bahadur, who is affiliated with the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network. Though the group had previously directed most of its attacks against the Afghan government and NATO forces during the war in Afghanistan, it has since targeted the Pakistani government after the fall of Kabul in 2021. Militants affiliated with HGB have been linked to several high-profile attacks on Pakistani security forces in the ongoing insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
HGB traces its roots from the tribal followers of Hafiz Gul Bahadur. Bahadur organized resistance against a Pakistani operation in the northwest in 2005, later signing a peace deal with the government in 2006 and becoming the leader of the local Taliban in North Waziristan. Bahadur was named first deputy of the Pakistani Taliban upon its formation in December 2007, but infighting plagued the group due to Bahadur's insistence on attacking targets in Afghanistan and not the Pakistani government. HGB's acceptance of the Pakistani government had led them to be dubbed the 'good Taliban' by media and government sources. HGB's peace agreement with the Pakistan ended in 2014 with the launch of an offensive against all militants in the area, including HGB. After a Taliban offensive in 2021 defeated the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, HGB has shifted its activities against Pakistan and has collaborated further with the TTP. The group has been suspected of using Afghanistan as a launching ground for its operations against Pakistan.
After the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan, many militants including that of the Afghan Taliban, al-Qaeda and other Central Asian groups from Afghanistan fled to northwest Pakistan, where Bahadur was one of many tribal leaders who gave them refuge. As a leader of the Utmanzai Wazir, Bahadur maintained a loyal following of men reportedly numbering in the thousands. Utilizing his position, Bahadur served as chief negotiator in multiple peace talks and ceasefires between tribal militants and the Pakistani government. He rose to prominence in 2005 for leading armed opposition against the Pakistani military which had begun operations in 2004 to evict foreign fighters, mainly al-Qaeda, from Waziristan. Bahadur's hostility to the Pakistani government seemingly changed in September 2006 after signing a peace treaty with the government agreeing to expel foreign fighters, the deal being heavily influenced by the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani Network. After signing the treaty, Bahadur became the leader of the local Taliban in North Waziristan, where he effectively governed the region with the acceptance of Pakistan while maintaining ties with the Afghan Taliban and participating in the neighbouring war. Bahadur eventually resumed hostilities with the Pakistani state in July 2007. Amid peace talks, the Pakistani Taliban was officially formed in December 2007 with Bahadur being named as first deputy leader under Baitullah Mehsud, who led armed opposition against Pakistan. Bahadur distanced himself from the TTP as Mullah Omar opposed its foundation, instead calling for focus upon coalition and security forces in Afghanistan. Bahadur signed a peace agreement with the government on 18 February 2008. On 22 February 2009, Bahadur reconciled with Mehsud and other TTP leader Maulvi Nazir, forming an alliance to direct attacks on NATO forces in Afghanistan, while Bahadur and Nazir still remained pro-Pakistani government. Due to their lingering allegiance to Pakistan, the alliance broke down shortly after its formation, with HGB's relations remaining strained with the TTP.
HGB began taking more significant action against Pakistan from June 2009 as the government began to crack down on the TTP and Baitullah Mehsud. Bahadur opposed US drone strikes within Pakistan, threatening to pull out of their agreement with the government after the Datta Khel airstrike on 17 March 2011 which killed HGB commander Sherabat Khan Wazir. HGB's peace treaty with Pakistan eventually came to an end in May 2014 after they accused the government of violating their treaty with the launch of Operation Zarb-e-Azb. The group announced the shifting of all operations out of Afghanistan and into Pakistan and forced members to sever ties with the Pakistani government by 10 June. Significantly weakened by the operation, HGB and many other TTP elements fled to Afghanistan.
With the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, HGB's main target, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, had been defeated. With the installment of a Taliban government, both HGB and the TTP's goals have reportedly shifted, with HGB claiming multiple attacks upon Pakistani security forces in the ensuing years, including through collaborative operations with the TTP. The Pakistani government has accused the Afghan Taliban of allowing HGB and commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur to reside in Afghanistan and use their land as a staging ground for attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
On 28 June 2025, a suicide car bombing targeted a Pakistan Army convoy in Mir Ali, North Waziristan, resulting in the deaths of 13 to 16 soldiers and injuring numerous others, including civilians. The attack took place during an active curfew and was claimed by a suicide wing of Hafiz Gul Bahadur’s faction, which operates under the umbrella of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). While the Pakistani government initially blamed India, the claim made by Bahadur’s group and reported by AFP clearly attributed the attack to domestic insurgent activity, reinforcing his faction’s ongoing involvement in anti-state violence in the region.
On 3 June, HGB and the TTP launched a joint attack on a security checkpoint in Jani Khel, Bannu, killing two soldiers and losing two members in a gunfight.
On 26 November, a suicide bomber on a motorcycle attacked a security convoy in Bannu, killing two civilians and injuring three soldiers. The attacker was an Afghan citizen affiliated with HGB.
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Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group
Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group (Urdu: حافظ گل بہادر گروپ , abbr. HGBG) is a faction of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) based in North Waziristan and surrounding districts of the former FATA region in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The group is led by tribal leader Hafiz Gul Bahadur, who is affiliated with the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network. Though the group had previously directed most of its attacks against the Afghan government and NATO forces during the war in Afghanistan, it has since targeted the Pakistani government after the fall of Kabul in 2021. Militants affiliated with HGB have been linked to several high-profile attacks on Pakistani security forces in the ongoing insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
HGB traces its roots from the tribal followers of Hafiz Gul Bahadur. Bahadur organized resistance against a Pakistani operation in the northwest in 2005, later signing a peace deal with the government in 2006 and becoming the leader of the local Taliban in North Waziristan. Bahadur was named first deputy of the Pakistani Taliban upon its formation in December 2007, but infighting plagued the group due to Bahadur's insistence on attacking targets in Afghanistan and not the Pakistani government. HGB's acceptance of the Pakistani government had led them to be dubbed the 'good Taliban' by media and government sources. HGB's peace agreement with the Pakistan ended in 2014 with the launch of an offensive against all militants in the area, including HGB. After a Taliban offensive in 2021 defeated the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, HGB has shifted its activities against Pakistan and has collaborated further with the TTP. The group has been suspected of using Afghanistan as a launching ground for its operations against Pakistan.
After the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan, many militants including that of the Afghan Taliban, al-Qaeda and other Central Asian groups from Afghanistan fled to northwest Pakistan, where Bahadur was one of many tribal leaders who gave them refuge. As a leader of the Utmanzai Wazir, Bahadur maintained a loyal following of men reportedly numbering in the thousands. Utilizing his position, Bahadur served as chief negotiator in multiple peace talks and ceasefires between tribal militants and the Pakistani government. He rose to prominence in 2005 for leading armed opposition against the Pakistani military which had begun operations in 2004 to evict foreign fighters, mainly al-Qaeda, from Waziristan. Bahadur's hostility to the Pakistani government seemingly changed in September 2006 after signing a peace treaty with the government agreeing to expel foreign fighters, the deal being heavily influenced by the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani Network. After signing the treaty, Bahadur became the leader of the local Taliban in North Waziristan, where he effectively governed the region with the acceptance of Pakistan while maintaining ties with the Afghan Taliban and participating in the neighbouring war. Bahadur eventually resumed hostilities with the Pakistani state in July 2007. Amid peace talks, the Pakistani Taliban was officially formed in December 2007 with Bahadur being named as first deputy leader under Baitullah Mehsud, who led armed opposition against Pakistan. Bahadur distanced himself from the TTP as Mullah Omar opposed its foundation, instead calling for focus upon coalition and security forces in Afghanistan. Bahadur signed a peace agreement with the government on 18 February 2008. On 22 February 2009, Bahadur reconciled with Mehsud and other TTP leader Maulvi Nazir, forming an alliance to direct attacks on NATO forces in Afghanistan, while Bahadur and Nazir still remained pro-Pakistani government. Due to their lingering allegiance to Pakistan, the alliance broke down shortly after its formation, with HGB's relations remaining strained with the TTP.
HGB began taking more significant action against Pakistan from June 2009 as the government began to crack down on the TTP and Baitullah Mehsud. Bahadur opposed US drone strikes within Pakistan, threatening to pull out of their agreement with the government after the Datta Khel airstrike on 17 March 2011 which killed HGB commander Sherabat Khan Wazir. HGB's peace treaty with Pakistan eventually came to an end in May 2014 after they accused the government of violating their treaty with the launch of Operation Zarb-e-Azb. The group announced the shifting of all operations out of Afghanistan and into Pakistan and forced members to sever ties with the Pakistani government by 10 June. Significantly weakened by the operation, HGB and many other TTP elements fled to Afghanistan.
With the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, HGB's main target, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, had been defeated. With the installment of a Taliban government, both HGB and the TTP's goals have reportedly shifted, with HGB claiming multiple attacks upon Pakistani security forces in the ensuing years, including through collaborative operations with the TTP. The Pakistani government has accused the Afghan Taliban of allowing HGB and commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur to reside in Afghanistan and use their land as a staging ground for attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
On 28 June 2025, a suicide car bombing targeted a Pakistan Army convoy in Mir Ali, North Waziristan, resulting in the deaths of 13 to 16 soldiers and injuring numerous others, including civilians. The attack took place during an active curfew and was claimed by a suicide wing of Hafiz Gul Bahadur’s faction, which operates under the umbrella of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). While the Pakistani government initially blamed India, the claim made by Bahadur’s group and reported by AFP clearly attributed the attack to domestic insurgent activity, reinforcing his faction’s ongoing involvement in anti-state violence in the region.
On 3 June, HGB and the TTP launched a joint attack on a security checkpoint in Jani Khel, Bannu, killing two soldiers and losing two members in a gunfight.
On 26 November, a suicide bomber on a motorcycle attacked a security convoy in Bannu, killing two civilians and injuring three soldiers. The attacker was an Afghan citizen affiliated with HGB.