Terror Mastermind Masood Azhar Says 10 Family Members Killed In Op Sindoor

May 07 2025 – In a shocking escalation after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed people, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) leader Maulana Masood Azhar has asserted that 10 of his family members and four close associates were killed in a series of precision air strikes conducted by India under Operation Sindoor.

In a statement reported to have been made by the 56-year-old UN-listed global terrorist, the attack—on JeM’s most important stronghold Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, Pakistan—killed Azhar’s older sister, her spouse, a nephew and his wife, a niece, and five children of the extended family. Four aides, who were described by Azhar as “dear companions”, were also killed, according to reports.

Ten members of my family have been blessed with this joy together tonight.,” Azhar announced in a statement that was forwarded through JeM-linked platforms. He continued, “I neither have any regret nor despair. Instead, I wish I had been a part of this fourteen-member merry caravan.

Azhar, arrested in India in 1994 and released in the 1999 Indian Airlines IC 814 hijack, still remains active in Pakistan, even after Islamabad’s insistence that he does not exist. His role has been attributed to many of India’s biggest attacks, such as the 2001 Parliament attack, 2008 Mumbai attacks, 2016 Pathankot attack, and 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing.

Operation Sindoor: India’s Response to Pahalgam

Operation Sindoor was initiated in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 innocent civilians were killed last week. In an umbrella and calculated overnight attack, India is said to have fired 24 precision-guided missiles on nine terror-associated targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Government officials said the operation was carefully planned to avoid civilian casualties. “All the targets were confirmed to have direct terror connections. The attacks were carried out at midnight to prevent civilian presence,” said a senior official who is aware of the operation.

More than 70 terrorists were killed and over 60 were injured, according to Indian intelligence estimates.

International Reactions and Civilian Casualties

Though Indian authorities recognized the potential for collateral damage, they insisted on using precision-guided munitions and surgical planning to limit the effect to targeted zones.

“The reality of asymmetric warfare is that terror groups often operate from civilian zones. Despite this, our forces showed maximum restraint,” the official stated.

Pakistan, on the other hand, has tried to divert international attention towards reported civilian casualties, which New Delhi has rejected as disinformation intended to deflect attention from Pakistan’s ongoing harboring of international terrorists.

While the world watches, New Delhi reaffirmed its pledge to fight terrorism using “measured force, surgical accuracy, and moral clarity.”