Major Terror Leader Abdul Rauf Azhar Killed in India’s Airstrikes
India Claims Key Terror Leader Killed in Pakistan Airstrikes
India says it successfully eliminated Abdul Rauf Azhar, a top terrorist and mastermind behind the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC 814, in airstrikes against terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The operation, codenamed Sindoor, was launched in retaliation for a deadly attack in India’s Pahalgam region that killed 26 civilians.
Who Was Abdul Rauf Azhar?
Abdul Rauf Azhar, the younger brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, was a notorious figure in the world of terrorism. He was wanted for his role in the IC 814 hijacking, where an Indian Airlines flight was diverted to Kandahar, Afghanistan. The hijackers forced the Indian government to release three terrorists in exchange for the passengers’ safety, one of whom was Masood Azhar himself. Azhar was also linked to the 2001 attack on India’s Parliament and the Pathankot terror attack.
India’s Retaliation
The Indian government announced the airstrikes in response to the recent Pahalgam attack, which was claimed by the Jaish-e-Mohammed. The strikes targeted nine locations in Pakistan and PoK, including the Jaish headquarters in Bahawalpur.
Masood Azhar’s Statement
Masood Azhar, the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed, released a statement claiming that ten members of his family, including five children, were killed in the airstrikes. He expressed neither regret nor despair over their deaths, stating that they had become “guests of Allah.”
