Masood Azhar, the leader of the terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed, announced that ten members of his family and four of his associates were killed in airstrikes carried out by India. The strikes, part of Operation Sindoor, were in response to a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India, where 26 innocent people lost their lives.
In a statement, Azhar mentioned that those who died included his older sister, her husband, his nephew and his wife, a niece, and five young children from his family. He expressed no sadness about their deaths, saying he felt joy for them and would have liked to join them. He referred to the deceased as “guests of Allah” and invited people to participate in their funeral prayers.
Masood Azhar, who is 56 years old, is recognized as an international terrorist by the United Nations and has been involved in organizing several major attacks in India, including the assaults on the Indian Parliament and the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Despite clear evidence of his presence in Pakistan, the Pakistani government has denied knowing his whereabouts.
In retaliation for the Pahalgam attack, India launched 24 precision missiles targeting nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. According to Indian government sources, over 70 terrorists were killed, and more than 60 were injured in these strikes.
Indian officials expressed regret for the civilian casualties but emphasized that care was taken to minimize harm to innocent people. They highlighted that targets were chosen carefully and that strikes occurred at night when fewer civilians were around. However, they acknowledged the complexities of combat against terrorist groups that often hide in civilian areas, making it difficult to avoid all civilian harm.
In contrast, Pakistan has been emphasizing the civilian impact of the strikes to gain sympathy from the international community. Indian defense officials showcased evidence that the operation primarily impacted targeted terrorist locations.
