Abdul Rauf Azhar, the younger brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, was killed in a targeted strike as India carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. This action was in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that saw 26 innocent lives brutally taken.
Abdul Rauf Azhar was a most-wanted terrorist involved in several high-profile terror incidents, including the infamous Indian Airlines IC 814 hijack in 1999.
✈️ Azhar’s Role in Infamous IC 814 Hijack and Pathankot Attack
Abdul Rauf Azhar was one of the masterminds behind the 1999 hijack of Indian Airlines IC 814, which saw a plane en route from Kathmandu to Delhi with 190 passengers diverted to Kandahar. The Indian government was forced to release three terrorists in exchange for the safe release of passengers, one of whom was Masood Azhar.
Azhar was also implicated in the Pathankot and 2001 Parliament attacks, further cementing his notoriety as a key member of terror operations targeting India.
💬 Masood Azhar’s Statement Following Loss of Family Members
In the wake of India’s airstrike on Jaish-e-Mohammed’s headquarters in Bahawalpur, Masood Azhar issued a statement claiming the deaths of 10 family members and 4 aides during the strike. His statement referred to the casualties as “guests of Allah.”
“Ten members of my family were blessed with this happiness tonight… including five innocent children, my elder sister, her honorable husband…,” the statement read, portraying the fatalities as divine sacrifices.
Masood Azhar expressed no regret for the deaths, instead stating that he felt “joy” in the martyrdom of his relatives and companions. He remarked that he himself could have joined them in death but “the Lord did not kill them.”
