In a startling display of internal discord, a local commander of the banned Gul Bahadur group, Hameedullah alias “Meedu,” has released a video statement that lays bare deepening rifts within the group’s ranks in Bannu and elsewhere. The statement centres around the recent abduction and subsequent release of another militant figure, Imran alias “Bakhmal” of Baka Khel, revealing internal fractures and tribal intervention in militant affairs.
In the video, Hameedullah openly criticizes the group’s leadership council (Shura) and accuses fellow commander Siddiqullah Gurbaz of collaborating with local tribesmen to facilitate the release of Imran. He claimed that the Baka Khel tribe mobilised an armed lashkar (militia) against his household, violating the sanctity of his home and forcing him to release the captive under tribal pressure.
Hameedullah stated that tribal elders approached him to confirm whether Imran had indeed been abducted by the group. Out of fear of retaliatory violence, he said he initially denied involvement. However, he justified the release of Imran as a necessary step to prevent further escalation.
In a chilling turn, Hameedullah issued a direct threat to abduct and kill Imran again, underscoring the intensifying personal and territorial rivalries among local commanders.
This incident is a clear indication of the growing unrest and power struggle within the Gul Bahadur faction, suggesting that the group’s central command is losing grip over its local operatives. Analysts warn that such infighting could lead to violent clashes among splinter factions, further destabilizing the already volatile region of North Waziristan and Bannu.
The emerging rift also points to how tribal influence continues to play a pivotal role in shaping militant dynamics in the region, a factor often underestimated in counterterrorism efforts. As internal tensions escalate, so does the risk of renewed violence, both among the militants and toward the local population caught in the crossfire.
