JeM Commander Admits Masood Azhar’s Family Killed in Indian Strikes Under Operation Sindoor

In a rare admission, a senior Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) commander has publicly acknowledged that Indian forces killed members of terror mastermind Masood Azhar’s family during targeted strikes in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, as part of Operation Sindoor.

In a video circulating on social media, JeM commander Masood Ilyas Kashmiri is heard recalling the May 7 strikes, saying: “After sacrificing everything, on May 7, Maulana Masood Azhar’s family was torn apart by Indian forces in Bahawalpur.” Armed men can be seen standing behind him as he described how Indian troops stormed their hideout.

Operation Sindoor: India’s Retaliation

The strikes came in direct response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that killed 26 civilians, most of them tourists. In a coordinated overnight assault, the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force targeted nine terrorist facilities linked to JeM, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen in Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muridke.

Indian officials stressed the strikes were confined to terror infrastructure and avoided military installations. “No civilian casualties were reported on our side,” said Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. Pakistan, however, claimed 26 deaths and 46 injuries across six sites.

Bahawalpur: JeM’s Nerve Centre

Bahawalpur, Pakistan’s 12th-largest city, was a prime target as it houses JeM’s operational base, the Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah (Usman-o-Ali campus). JeM, founded in the early 2000s by UN-proscribed terrorist Masood Azhar, has orchestrated multiple deadly attacks in India.

Following the strikes, Pakistani media quoted Azhar himself as admitting that 10 members of his family were killed, including his elder sister, her husband, a nephew and his wife, a niece, and five children. Four close associates also died. Among them was Mohammad Yusuf Azhar, Azhar’s brother-in-law and a senior JeM leader linked to the 1999 IC-814 hijacking. India had issued a Red Corner Notice against him through Interpol.

Pakistan’s Denial, India’s Stand

Islamabad has continued to deny hosting cross-border terror groups. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari claimed Pakistan was “unaware” of Masood Azhar’s whereabouts, adding it would act if India provided proof.

New Delhi has dismissed these assertions, reiterating that Operation Sindoor was a legitimate act of self-defence following the Pahalgam massacre. Indian officials underscored that the mission was carefully executed to dismantle terror infrastructure without harming civilians.