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Jawad Yousafzai

Jawad Yousafzai

<em>Jawad Yousufzai is freelance journalist based in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. He is specialist in Waves, Text, Photography & Documentaries. He tweet at @JawadYousufxai</em>

The Re-Birth of Ittihad-ul-Mujahideen: An Inside Pakistan’s Latest Militant Alliance

Published on: April 14, 2025 2:52 PM

April 14, 2025 by Jawad Yousafzai

The formation of Ittihad-ul-Mujahideen announced by the militants groups in Pakistan. In the fresh alliance, two major groups (Lashkar Islam & Hafiz Gulbhadar) while one newly formed group (Inqlab Islami Pakiatan) is the part of initiative. All these groups issued separate statements to informed about the development. The group has not discloses its head and seems Gulbhadar will lead it but mentioned Mahmood Hassan as a spokesperson and Sada-e-Ghazwat-ul-Hind as the mouth piece Media

All the development has been crediting to the Hafiz Gulbhadar in militants circle. The militants & expert belive that it was possible due to the the head, who operation in the North Waziristan. Whenever, the termed Ittihad-ul-Mujahideen surface, the expert belive its belong to the Hafiz Gulbhadar, who was pro state turned against state. The group is also known itself as Tahreek Taliban Gulbhadar in recent years. He is the one who has starred Ittihad-ul-Mujahideen in 2004

In 2004, the Hafiz Gulbhadar announced the first formation of “Ittihadul Mujahideen”. The Hafiz Gulbhadar has became the Aamir of first formation of joint alliance. In the first alliance, the group has joint venture with small fictions. They carried out attacks with other militant groups like Akhtar Khalil group & small fiction present in the bannu and MadaKhel area of North Waziristan. The oldest militants group further strengthened and of more small group permanently later joined the Hafiz Gulbhadar group. Later, Akhtar Khlail has joined TTP but the other small groups now follow Gulbhadar group for further attacks.

In 2007, militants group announced one more alliance of armed struggle across Pakiatan. This time the joint venture was between the Hafiz Gulbhadar group along with the other key militant group Tahreek Taliban Pakistan. They called such alliance “Shura Ittihadul Mujahideen”. In such alliance, they have also dedicated council member’s from both sides. However, alliance not lasting for long & broke after few weeks. The reasons was considered of differences b/w two major groups, which was mostly due to policy issue. Secondly, TTP want merger of Gulbhadar into Tahreek Taliban Pakistan, which Gulbhadar has been rejected. Thirdly, Gulbhadar has harsh stance while TTP has soft having proper shura, which led them to the differences.

In 2009, another announcement of alliance was made with the three major rival group of Pakistani Taliban. These groups include TTP, Hafiz Gul Bahadur & Mullah Nazir (CNG) was a part if it. They have formed an alliance called Shura Ittihad-ul-Mujahideen (Council of United Holy Warriors). The initiative was made on the direction of Mullah Umar to fight international forces in Afghanistan. This was to increase cross-border attacks & pressure NATO force’s from Pakistan’s region. The member of such aliince was made between Baitullah Mehsud, Maulvi Nazir & Gul Bahadur. After few months, it was unconditionally broked. The reason is that TTP was focusing Pakistan while Gulbhadar and Nazir was helping and facilitated war against America in Afghanistan.

In 2016, the central Tahreek Taliban Pakistan has once again tried to convince Hafiz Gulbhadar. They offered the Hafiz Gulbhadar group to merged its fiction into Tahreek Taliban Pakistan. The offer wass made via Mahsud fiction mainly operate in south Wazristan. The Hafiz Gulbhadar has rejected the offer for two reasons. One the Hafiz Gulbhadar group is the oldest and largest group than Tahreek Taliban Pakistan. Secondly, the Hafiz Gulbhadar was having objections over TTP’s leadership, which was led by Mullah Fazlullah. However, HGB rejected the offers of TTP, but both sides agreed to cooperate which they named it “Ittihad-ul-Mujahideen”. Under, the agreement TTP and Gulbhadar has cooperation, which was to collaborate in Afghanistan as well as against the Pakistani state. However, this collaboration also lasted less than a month.

In 2023, a new alliance formation named “Ittihad al-Mujahideen Khorasan” surfaced. This time the development was also announced by the Hafiz Gulbhadar. This was the new umbrella group formed combining several smaller militant factions across north Wazristan. These groups were including Jabhat Ansar Al-Mahdi Khorasan, Jaishul Fursan, Al-Hamza Group (a suicide bombing cell), Jaish Umari, Aswad ul Harb etc. They gathered under leadership of Hafiz Gulbhadar. The are now all operating under Tahreek Taliban Gulbhadar (TTG) and carried out coordinated attacks across Pakistan. Now all these fiction’s has been instructed and opeate under Hafiz Gulbhadar. They have carried out nemrous and deadliest attacks across Pakistan. With all these groups merger, the group of Hafiz Gulbhadar has strengthened. Secondly, all these groups has got a direction in the form of Hafiz Gulbhadar.

In 2025, the resurface of Ittihad-ul-Mujahideen is an alarming development for the upcoming days. TTP announced operation “Al Khandaaq” while Gulbhadar & Lashkar Islam yet not strategize its spring offense. Secondly, the alliance is need of time like Lashkar Islam has no prominent face after the killing of Mangal Bagh. The group is led by Zala Khan Afridi & Tayaab Ajnabi, who both are young and less promont faces, which the alliance will cover it with the the wisdom of Hafiz Gulbhadar. Thirdly, the new group Inqlab Islami Pakiatan emerged in 2025, who have no prominent face & no prominent profile, which will cover up under the new development. However, some believe TIP is Tahreek Jihad 2.0, & cover face of Tahreek Taliban Pakistan. Earlier, such developments is to cover the blasts in which civilians casualties reported, has been accepted by such banned outfits. Above all, the development will more clear in coming day, but this new alliance will further strengthened the Gulbhadar group and get more ingrains in Khyber, Orakzai, South Wazristan as well as Mohmand

Filed Under: Op-Ed

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