Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar has confirmed that ten of his family members and four close aides were killed in the recent Indian military strikes carried out as part of 'Operation Sindoor.' The operation involved precise, coordinated attacks on nine terror-linked locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including JeM’s stronghold in Bahawalpur.
In an official statement, Azhar said the Indian strike on Bahawalpur’s Markaz Subhan Allah—the JeM headquarters—resulted in the deaths of several of his close relatives, including his elder sister and her husband, his nephew and his wife, and a niece. The site, a sprawling campus previously identified as a hub for terrorist recruitment and indoctrination, was among the primary targets during the operation.
Expressing outrage over the strikes, Azhar issued a warning through a message in Urdu: “Is zulm ne saaray zabtay tor diye hain. Ab koi reham ki umeed na rakhe,” which translates to: “This cruelty has broken all boundaries. Now, no one should expect mercy.”
Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, focused on eliminating the operational backbone of three banned terrorist outfits: Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. According to officials, the Indian Air Force executed night raids on key camps and infrastructure used by these groups.
Also Read: Why was Bahawalpur hit? Its link to Masood Azhar and Jaish
Among the specific targets hit were:
- Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur (JeM)
- Tehra Kalan camp in Sarjal, Shakargarh (JeM)
- Markaz Abbas, Kotli (JeM)
- Syedna Bilal camp, Muzaffarabad (JeM)
- Markaz Taiba, Murdike (LeT)
- Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala (LeT)
- Shwawai Nalla camp, Muzaffarabad (LeT)
- Makaz Raheel Shahid, Kotli (Hizbul Mujahideen)
- Mehmoona Joya, Sialkot (Hizbul Mujahideen)
Of the nine total targets, four were located inside Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. These strikes aimed to dismantle the communication, training, and recruitment networks of the involved terror outfits. The name Operation Sindoor holds symbolic weight. "Sindoor" refers to the traditional red vermilion powder worn by Hindu women as a mark of marriage.
The operation's title is believed to be inspired by a viral image from April 22, showing a grief-stricken Hindu woman seated beside the lifeless body of her husband—a victim of the Pahalgam terror attack. The image became an emotional rallying point across India, underscoring the human cost of terrorism.
Also Read: Operation Sindoor: JeM's hidden comms hub in Sarjal destroyed
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