Major Counter-Terrorism Success: TTP Commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur Eliminated in Precision Strikes

In a major counter-terrorism breakthrough, TTP commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur, one of the most wanted militants in the region, was killed in precision aerial strikes conducted in Argun, Khost Province, Afghanistan, on the night of 17–18 October 2025, according to security sources.

Intelligence reports confirm that several senior members of his Shura (leadership council) were also eliminated during the operation. The militant commander was reportedly buried secretly the same night, sources added.

The strikes were part of a coordinated counter-terrorism effort targeting the Gul Bahadur Group, a faction of the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The militants, who were operating from Afghan soil, had recently attempted to launch multiple terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, all of which were effectively foiled by security forces.

In retaliation, Pakistan’s security agencies carried out precision strikes on TTP camps located in the border areas of North and South Waziristan, hitting key leadership positions based on confirmed intelligence reports.

According to official briefings, 60 to 70 militants, including senior commanders of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, were killed in the operation.
The strikes targeted multiple terrorist hideouts, destroying their command centers, communication points, and weapon storage sites.

A senior security official described the operation as a “decisive blow” to terror networks plotting cross-border attacks:

“This action sends a clear message that any threat to Pakistan’s security will be met with full force. The elimination of Gul Bahadur and his leadership has severely weakened TTP’s operational capacity.”

Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a notorious militant commander from North Waziristan, was a key figure in Pakistan’s tribal militancy landscape for nearly two decades.
Initially aligned with the Haqqani Network, he later formed his own faction of the TTP, commanding hundreds of fighters involved in attacks on Pakistani security forces.

Bahadur was known for providing safe havens to foreign militants, including those linked with al-Qaeda, and for orchestrating cross-border assaults from Afghanistan into Pakistan’s tribal belt.

Security analysts believe that Bahadur’s death marks one of the most significant counter-terrorism achievements in recent years, disrupting the operational chain of command within the TTP.

The operation underscores Pakistan’s resolve to eliminate terrorist sanctuaries across the border and protect its citizens from extremist violence.