Abdul Rauf Azhar, the operational head of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and the mastermind behind the 1999 Indian Airlines IC-814 hijacking, was killed in Indian airstrikes during Operation Sindoor, according to official and media reports. The strikes, conducted by Indian armed forces on May 7, 2025, targeted terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including the JeM headquarters in Bahawalpur, Punjab province.

The operation was launched in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians were killed. Indian forces carried out precision strikes at nine locations, focusing on major terror camps operated by groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The government described the operation as "focused, measured, and non-escalatory," deliberately avoiding Pakistani military installations.

Abdul Rauf Azhar, a key figure in international jihadist networks and the younger brother of JeM chief Masood Azhar, played a central role in orchestrating the IC-814 hijacking. The 1999 incident saw an Indian Airlines plane, en route from Kathmandu to Delhi with 190 people on board, diverted to Kandahar. The Indian government was forced to release three terrorists, including Masood Azhar, in exchange for the hostages. This event directly facilitated the rise of JeM and subsequent terror attacks, including the 2001 Parliament attack and the 2016 Pathankot attack.

In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, Masood Azhar released a statement admitting that ten members of his family, including children, his elder sister and her husband, a nephew and his wife, and several close aides, were killed in the Indian strikes. The statement, while expressing grief, also reiterated his resolve against India and threatened further retaliation.

Abdul Rauf Azhar had been designated a terrorist by the United States Treasury in 2010 for his role in recruiting operatives and planning attacks in India and Afghanistan. He became the de-facto leader of JeM when Masood Azhar went underground in 2007 and was implicated in numerous high-profile terror attacks over the past two decades.

Operation Sindoor reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 100 terrorists, with the count still ongoing, according to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The operation has been hailed as a significant achievement by Indian political leadership and security officials, marking a major blow to the leadership and operational capabilities of JeM and other Pakistan-based terror groups.

The elimination of Abdul Rauf Azhar in Operation Sindoor represents a pivotal moment in India’s ongoing counter-terrorism efforts, targeting the core leadership of groups responsible for some of the most significant terror attacks against India in recent decades.

NDTV Report