Security agencies have traced the recent suicide attack on a Pakistan Army convoy in Bannu to an Afghan-based militant network, highlighting the persistent cross-border threat posed by extremist elements. The attack, which occurred in Serha Darga, has been claimed by a subgroup of Fitna al-Khawarij, known as Itihad-ul-Mujahideen, which operates under the wider Hafiz Gul Bahadur network.
According to officials, the subgroup maintains close operational ties with Hafiz Gul Bahadur and his senior commanders, who continue to operate from Afghanistan. Investigations revealed that the recent assault was meticulously planned and facilitated from Afghan territory, underscoring the misuse of safe havens beyond Pakistan’s borders to target civilians and security forces. Security sources noted that this network has been involved in multiple attacks in the region, including the March 2025 assault on Bannu Cantonment during Ramadan and the September 2025 attack on the Federal Constabulary in Bannu, in which Major Adnan was martyred while exhibiting extraordinary courage.
Itihad-ul-Mujahideen has also claimed responsibility for numerous attacks in North and South Waziristan, with evidence confirming that these operations were coordinated and supported from across the border. Security analysts estimate that more than seventy percent of recent terrorist incidents in Pakistan involve actors either of Afghan origin or connected to Afghan-based militant networks. The ongoing support and protection provided to these groups by the Afghan Taliban regime continues to obstruct regional peace and security initiatives.
Authorities emphasized that Hafiz Gul Bahadur’s network and its affiliated groups are actively exploiting Afghan territory to orchestrate terrorist operations within Pakistan, posing a significant threat to national and regional security. Security agencies in Pakistan remain vigilant and committed to dismantling these networks, enhancing intelligence-sharing, and taking preemptive action to prevent further attacks.
Pakistan’s counter-terrorism forces reaffirmed their determination to pursue all individuals and organizations involved in terrorism, regardless of location or affiliation, and to uphold the country’s zero-tolerance policy toward extremist violence.
