Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar has confirmed that ten members of his family and four close aides were killed in India’s precision airstrikes during Operation Sindoor, according to BBC Urdu. The strikes were launched in the early hours of Tuesday as a response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians, mostly tourists, lost their lives.
Operation Sindoor targeted nine terror camps affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). One of the most significant strikes was carried out at the Subhan Allah camp in Bahawalpur, the stronghold of JeM and Masood Azhar’s hometown. The camp, also known as the Usman-o-Ali campus, served as a key hub for terror recruitment, fundraising, and indoctrination. The strike reportedly flattened the entire complex, including its mosque, the Jamia Masjid.
Among those killed in the Bahawalpur strike were Azhar’s elder sister, her husband, his nephew and his wife, another niece, and five children from his extended family. A close aide of Azhar’s mother and two other key associates were also confirmed dead, BBC Urdu reported. Azhar resides in a fortified compound in Bahawalpur and is considered one of the most wanted terrorists by Indian authorities.
Another critical site struck was the Masjid wa Markaz Taiba in Muridke, another major JeM facility. Reports suggest that around 30 terrorists were killed each in Bahawalpur and Muridke. While official figures are still being verified, sources estimate that between 70 and 80 terrorists were neutralised across all targeted locations.
Bahawalpur, located about 400 km from Lahore, is the 12th largest city in Pakistan and a known base of JeM operations. The visuals obtained by India Today from the Subhan Allah site show collapsed structures, debris, and gaping craters where key buildings once stood.
JeM, founded by Azhar in 2000, has been responsible for several major terror attacks in India, including the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, and the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing. Azhar was released by India in 1999 in exchange for hostages of Indian Airlines Flight IC-814, which was hijacked and flown to Kandahar.
The Indian strikes, lasting 25 minutes from 1:05 am to 1:30 am, were described by Indian officials as precise, proportionate, and aimed solely at terrorist infrastructure. No military or civilian installations were targeted.
Meanwhile, retaliatory cross-border firing has led to civilian casualties along the Line of Control and International Border. Reports confirm that 10 civilians have been killed and 33 injured so far. Indian Home Minister Amit Shah has ordered the immediate evacuation of vulnerable populations from forward areas, emphasizing that civilian safety remains the government’s top priority.
Operation Sindoor is being widely viewed as a calibrated and forceful response to state-sponsored terrorism emanating from across the border.
