New Delhi: In a significant breakthrough in its counter-terrorism operations, India has confirmed the elimination of Abdul Rauf Azhar, a top commander of the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), during a high-precision airstrike dubbed Operation Sindoor.
According to senior intelligence officials, Azhar was killed in a targeted operation carried out by the Indian Armed Forces on multiple terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The strike reportedly focused on a high-value JeM stronghold believed to house key operational leaders.
Abdul Rauf Azhar, the younger brother of JeM founder Masood Azhar, had long been on India’s most wanted list. He played a central role in orchestrating several high-profile terror attacks on Indian soil, including the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC-814, which was diverted to Kandahar with 190 passengers on board. That hijacking ended with the Indian government releasing three jailed terrorists, including Masood Azhar, under duress.
Azhar was also allegedly the mastermind behind the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament, the 2003 Nagrota Army Camp assault, the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing that killed 40 CRPF personnel.
Operation Sindoor marks a major milestone in India’s ongoing anti-terror campaign. The precision strikes targeted nine JeM-run terror hubs and reportedly included an assault on the group’s central headquarters—Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah—in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. A statement attributed to Masood Azhar claimed that the attack killed 10 of his family members and four senior aides.
Officials described Azhar’s death as a “severe blow” to the Pakistan-backed terror network that has operated across the border for decades. Analysts say his elimination not only weakens JeM’s leadership structure but also sends a strong message about India’s resolve to dismantle terror infrastructure at its roots.
