Hafiz Gul Bahadur
Encyclopedia
Hafiz Gul Bahadur is the leader of a Pakistani Taliban faction based in North Waziristan
. Upon the formation of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP) in December 2007, he was announced as the militant group's overall naib amir under Baitullah Mehsud
, who was based in South Waziristan
, but has largely distanced himself from the TTP due to rivalries with Mehsud and disagreements about the TTP's attacks against the Pakistani state.
, is a member of the Madda Khel
clan of the Uthmanzai
Waziri
s. Educated in a Deobandi
madrassa located in Multan
, he is affiliated with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal
(JUI-F) political party
.
Gul Bahadur fought in Afghanistan during the Soviet war in Afghanistan
and later during the rule of the Taliban. In August 2001 he recruited about 4,000 volunteers to oppose the proposed placement of United Nations
monitors, who were to prevent the flow of weapons from Pakistan to Afghanistan. Gul Bahadur objected because the monitors would have hampered the ability of Pakistani Pushtuns to support the Afghan Taliban against the Northern Alliance
. (The volunteer militia was never deployed, however, due in part to reprecussions of the 9/11 attacks).
Hafiz Gul Bahadur is closely allied with Sirajuddin Haqqani
and provides him with a rear base in North Waziristan.Anti-American Taliban are headed by Gul Bahadur and Jalal-ud-Din Haqqani network.
In September 2006 he negotiated a peace deal with the Pakistani military in which he agreed to expel all foreign militants, such as al-Qaeda
and Uzbek
militants, from Pakistani soil.
After a year of fighting US-led forces in Afghanistan, he returned to Pakistan in late 2007. In December he joined Baitullah Mehsud
's Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as its first deputy leader. Gul Bahadur attempted to distance himself from the TTP after the group began to attack government forces. Although no formal announcement of leaving the TTP occurred, Gul Bahadur often refused to coordinate activities with the TTP against the government. During late 2007 and early 2008, Bahadur refused to assist Baitullah Mehsud against the Pakistani Army and urged him to refrain from fighting Pakistani forces in Razmak
, North Waziristan.
In July 2008 Gul Bahadur and Maulvi Nazir
, leader of the Ahmedzai Wazirs in South Waziristan, announced the creation of the Muqami Tehrik-e Taliban, translated as the Local Taliban Movement and also referred to as the "Waziri Alliance", with Gul Bahadur as its leader and Nazir as his deputy.
In late 2008 missile strikes from U.S. drones
in North Waziristan strained the peace deal with Islamabad
that he had agreed previously to observe in 2006. In March 2011 he threatened to pull out of the peace deal with Pakistani government after one of his top commanders Sherabat Khan Wazir was killed in Datta Khel airstrike
.
North Waziristan
North Waziristan is the northern part of Waziristan, a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering . Waziristan comprises the area west and south-west of Peshawar between the Tochi river to the north and the Gomal river to the south, forming part of Pakistan's...
. Upon the formation of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan , alternatively referred to as the Pakistani Taliban, is an umbrella organization of various Islamist militant groups based in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas along the Afghan border in Pakistan. Most, but not all, Pakistani Taliban groups coalesce under the TTP...
(TTP) in December 2007, he was announced as the militant group's overall naib amir under Baitullah Mehsud
Baitullah Mehsud
Baitullah Mehsud was a leading militant in Waziristan, Pakistan, and the leader of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan . He formed the TTP from an alliance of about five militant groups in December 2007. He is thought by U.S...
, who was based in South Waziristan
South Waziristan
South Waziristan is the southern part of Waziristan, a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . Waziristan comprises the area west and southwest of Peshawar between the Tochi River to the north and the Gomal River to the south, forming...
, but has largely distanced himself from the TTP due to rivalries with Mehsud and disagreements about the TTP's attacks against the Pakistani state.
Background
Gul Bahadur, a direct descendant of Mirza Ali KhanFaqir of Ipi
Faqir of Ipi born Mirza Ali Khan was a Pashtun from today's North-Waziristan Pakistan, Federally Administrated Tribal Areas. His followers addressed him as 'Haji Sahib'...
, is a member of the Madda Khel
Madda Khel
Madda Khel is a Pashtun clan of Allaiwals of the Swati tribe, Batagram district in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Historically, Madda Khel had 600 fighting men against English at the end of the 19th century during the British colonial rule....
clan of the Uthmanzai
Utmanzai (tribe)
Utmanzai or Uthmanzai is a Pashtun tribe in Pakistan and Afghanistan.Utmanzai are generally considered to be a clan of Yusufzai, but they are, in fact, cousin tribes. ottman, the ancesstor of Utmanzais was son of Umar a brother of Yusuf, the ancestor of Yusufzais...
Waziri
Waziri
Waziri may refer to:* Wazir , a Pashtun tribe* Waziri language, spoken by Waziris* Waziri , a breed of sheep originating in Waziristan* Something or someone originating from Waziristan* The family name of the Sokoto Grand Vizier...
s. Educated in a Deobandi
Deobandi
Deobandi is a movement of Sunni Islam. The movement began at Darul Uloom Deoband in Deoband, India, where its foundation was laid on 30 May 1866.-History:...
madrassa located in Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
, he is affiliated with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam is a political party in Pakistan. It formed a combined government in national elections in 2002 and 2008...
(JUI-F) political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
.
Gul Bahadur fought in Afghanistan during the Soviet war in Afghanistan
Soviet war in Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
and later during the rule of the Taliban. In August 2001 he recruited about 4,000 volunteers to oppose the proposed placement of United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
monitors, who were to prevent the flow of weapons from Pakistan to Afghanistan. Gul Bahadur objected because the monitors would have hampered the ability of Pakistani Pushtuns to support the Afghan Taliban against the Northern Alliance
Northern Alliance
The Afghan Northern Alliance is a military-political umbrella organization created by the Islamic State of Afghanistan in 1996.Northern Alliance may also refer to:*Northern Alliance , a Canadian white supremacist group...
. (The volunteer militia was never deployed, however, due in part to reprecussions of the 9/11 attacks).
Hafiz Gul Bahadur is closely allied with Sirajuddin Haqqani
Sirajuddin Haqqani
Sirajuddin "Siraj" Haqqani is a Pashtun warlord and military leader who fights against American and coalition forces from his base within North Waziristan in Pakistan, where it is claimed he provides shelter to Al Qaeda operatives...
and provides him with a rear base in North Waziristan.Anti-American Taliban are headed by Gul Bahadur and Jalal-ud-Din Haqqani network.
Activities
In 2005 the Pakistani military began operations within North Waziristan to pursue foreign, mainly al-Qaeda, militants fleeing from South Waziristan. They met resistance from militant groups led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur, among others.In September 2006 he negotiated a peace deal with the Pakistani military in which he agreed to expel all foreign militants, such as al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
and Uzbek
Uzbeks
The Uzbeks are a Turkic ethnic group in Central Asia. They comprise the majority population of Uzbekistan, and large populations can also be found in Afghanistan, Tajikstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Pakistan, Mongolia and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China...
militants, from Pakistani soil.
After a year of fighting US-led forces in Afghanistan, he returned to Pakistan in late 2007. In December he joined Baitullah Mehsud
Baitullah Mehsud
Baitullah Mehsud was a leading militant in Waziristan, Pakistan, and the leader of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan . He formed the TTP from an alliance of about five militant groups in December 2007. He is thought by U.S...
's Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as its first deputy leader. Gul Bahadur attempted to distance himself from the TTP after the group began to attack government forces. Although no formal announcement of leaving the TTP occurred, Gul Bahadur often refused to coordinate activities with the TTP against the government. During late 2007 and early 2008, Bahadur refused to assist Baitullah Mehsud against the Pakistani Army and urged him to refrain from fighting Pakistani forces in Razmak
Razmak
Razmak is one of the three sub-divisions of North Waziristan Agency in Pakistan, the other two being Miranshah and Mirali. Inhabitants are Uthmanzai Wazirs. Razmak is further sub-divided in three Tehsils. Tehsil being the lowest administrative unit in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of...
, North Waziristan.
In July 2008 Gul Bahadur and Maulvi Nazir
Maulvi Nazir
Maulvi Nazir is a leading militant of the Pakistani Taliban in South Waziristan.Nazir's operations are based around Wana.He is opposed to foreign influence, particularly Uzbek and American, in Waziristan...
, leader of the Ahmedzai Wazirs in South Waziristan, announced the creation of the Muqami Tehrik-e Taliban, translated as the Local Taliban Movement and also referred to as the "Waziri Alliance", with Gul Bahadur as its leader and Nazir as his deputy.
In late 2008 missile strikes from U.S. drones
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
in North Waziristan strained the peace deal with Islamabad
Government of Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan is a federal parliamentary system, with an indirectly-elected President as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces, and an indirectly-elected Prime Minister as the Head of Government. The President’s appointment and term are...
that he had agreed previously to observe in 2006. In March 2011 he threatened to pull out of the peace deal with Pakistani government after one of his top commanders Sherabat Khan Wazir was killed in Datta Khel airstrike
Datta Khel airstrike
The Datta Khel airstrike was an American airstrike carried out on 17 March 2011 in Datta Khel, North Waziristan that killed 44 people and led to widespread condemnation in Pakistan...
.