Abdul Rauf Azhar, the Jaish-e-Mohammed leader and younger brother of Masood Azhar, was among the top terror operatives killed in India’s precision airstrikes in Pakistan’s Bahawalpur.
New Delhi | May 8, 2025:
In a significant development under Operation Sindoor, the Reports on Thursday claimed that Abdul Rauf Azhar—a most-wanted terrorist and the mastermind behind the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC 814—has been eliminated in India’s missile strikes on terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Rauf Azhar, the younger brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, was reportedly killed during the precision strike on JeM’s headquarters at Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, one of the nine locations targeted.
The BJP released a graphic on social media showing Abdul Rauf Azhar’s image stamped with the word “eliminated.”
A Legacy of Terrorism
Abdul Rauf Azhar was a key figure in orchestrating several deadly attacks on Indian soil:
- IC 814 hijacking (1999): The hijack of the Indian Airlines flight that led to the release of three jailed terrorists, including Masood Azhar.
- 2001 Indian Parliament attack
- 2016 Pathankot Air Base attack
He was designated as a global terrorist by the United States in 2010, yet had remained active under Pakistan’s protection.
Masood Azhar’s Statement Confirms Family Deaths
A statement attributed to Masood Azhar has acknowledged the death of 14 individuals in the Bahawalpur strike, including:
- 10 members of his family
- 4 close aides, including religious scholars and relatives
“My family has been blessed with martyrdom,” the statement read, claiming “no regret” and expressing a desire to have joined them.
Operation Sindoor: India’s Response to Pahalgam Massacre
The operation was conducted in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 civilians were killed, including tourists and locals.
The Indian military employed precision missiles and drone strikes to hit nine terror sites, with an emphasis on avoiding civilian and military targets. Defence officials confirmed that over 100 terrorists were killed, and that the strikes were “non-escalatory and proportionate.”
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