Security reports indicate that the Bannu suicide attack is associated with the Afghan-based Hafiz Gul Bahadur gang.

Security sources have identified connections between the latest suicide attack on a Pakistan Army vehicle in Bannu and Hafiz Gul Bahadur, who is presently located in Afghanistan.

Officials report that Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen, a sub-group of the Fitna-ul-Khawarij network led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur, has claimed responsibility for the Bannu attack. The group’s leadership, comprising Gul Bahadur and prominent commanders, is allegedly seeking asylum in Afghanistan while coordinating terrorism and sectarian discord in Pakistan.

Sources indicated that the same gang orchestrated the attack on Bannu Cantt on March 4, 2025, during Ramadan, which was likewise devised from Afghan territory. On September 2, 2025, Major Adnan was martyred while valiantly combating a Fitna-ul-Khawarij assault in Bannu.

Authorities stated that other assaults in North and South Waziristan, particularly in Mir Ali, have been attributed to the same organization, with the planning and support linked to Afghanistan.

Security sources indicate that Hafiz Gul Bahadur’s presence in Afghanistan exemplifies the utilization of Afghan territory for terrorist activities. They further contend that the Afghan Taliban regime’s backing of terrorist organizations offers safe havens, thereby hindering regional peace efforts. Evidence indicates that more than 70 percent of militants implicated in terrorist incidents in Pakistan had Afghan origins or connections to Afghan-based networks.

Sources cautioned that the Afghan Taliban’s support for terrorists persists in undermining efforts for regional stability and security.