ISLAMABAD: Senior journalist Gharidah Farooqi has claimed that Hafiz Gul Bahadur, one of the most notorious leaders of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was eliminated in a precision aerial strike in the Argun Valley of Khost, Afghanistan, during the night of October 17-18, 2025.
Farooqi wrote on her social media account X (formerly Twitter) that the TTP chief was definitely killed in the airstrike. Also, the reports indicate that a few members of his Shura (council) were killed in the same strike.
Major Counter-Terrorism Success! ‼️‼️‼️📌📌📌
Highly credible sources have confirmed that Terrorist Hafiz Gul Bahadur was eliminated in aerial strikes in Argun, Khost on the night of 17-18 Oct 2025. Several members of his Shura have also been killed. He was secretly buried the…
— Gharidah Farooqi (T.I.) (@GFarooqi) October 22, 2025
Farooqi, citing Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies’ sources, went on to say that the news of the strike has been confirmed with absolute certainty from multiple corroborative sources.
The emergence of this event has been marked as a turning point for terror networks, the mainstay of Pakistan’s sovereignty and national security, which have been a source of significant threat for a long time. The death of Bahadur, especially along with his close associates, is being talked about as a major blow to the TTP that will likely lead to a significant decrease in their activities in the region.
ALSO READ: Senior Afghan journalist confirms death of TTP leader Noor Wali Mehsud in Kabul attack
Earlier on October 10, in the aftermath of the recent aerial bombardment and gun shots in the Shahr-e-Naw area of Kabul in which reports claimed that notorious commander of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) outfit Noor Wali Mehsud has allegedly been killed on late Thursday night, new, but unverified information has emerged that suggests Qari Saifullah Mehsud and Khalid Mehsud, two individuals believed to be in line to replace Noor Wali Mehsud, were also killed in the attack.
According to the reports circulating on social media, including alleged audio messages from inside the TTP, it has also been claimed that the two senior commanders were also killed in the attack.
The attack reportedly targeted a Land Cruiser vehicle parked in Shahr-e-Naw, area of Afghan capital, which was believed to have members of the TTP on board. Currently, it seems that Noor Wali Mehsud is the only individual to have been confirmed killed; however, additional sources are denying this too, as well as the original speculation of the unclear fates of Saifullah Mehsud and Khalid Mehsud.
