Indian military operations reportedly targeted the residence of Masood Azhar, chief of the militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and the mastermind behind the infamous 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament. The strike was conducted in Bahawalpur, a city in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
Local reports from The Daily Urdu indicate that the airstrikes resulted in the deaths of at least 14 individuals, including women and children. Following the attack, strict security measures have been implemented in the area. However, as of now, there has been no official confirmation or denial from Indian or Pakistani authorities regarding the incident.
In a statement released after the attack, Azhar alleged that ten of the deceased were his close family members, including his eldest sister and a nephew. He claimed that four relatives, as well as five children from his extended family, were among the casualties at the Markaz Subhan Allah, which is known as the operational headquarters of JeM and serves as a training facility for its cadre. Azhar criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his remarks, stating that the assault represented a severe violation of norms, with no hope for mercy.
Masood Azhar, alongside the JeM, has been implicated in several high-profile attacks against India, including the January 2016 assault on the Pathankot Airbase and the February 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing, which claimed the lives of over 40 paramilitary personnel. The global community reacted strongly after the Pulwama attack, leading to the United Nations designating Azhar a global terrorist on May 1, 2019. The United States had earlier classified JeM as a foreign terrorist organization.
India has long demanded the extradition of Masood Azhar and his brother, Abdul Rauf Asghar, but these requests have consistently faced opposition from China at the United Nations. Although Pakistan officially banned Jaish-e-Mohammed in 2002, the group has continued to operate under various aliases. Azhar has also faced charges related to several violent incidents, including an assassination attempt on former Pakistani President Parvez Musharraf.
In an additional claim, a spokesperson for the Pakistani military stated that India had launched attacks on six locations within Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of 26 civilians, including women and children, with 46 others injured.
The ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan can be traced back to various historical incidents, including the December 24, 1999, hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight from Kathmandu to Delhi, which was taken to Kandahar. In exchange for the release of 155 hostages, the hijackers demanded the release of Masood Azhar along with two others, facilitating his eventual establishment of JeM in Karachi.
As developments unfold, the international community continues to monitor the situation closely, seeking resolutions to ongoing conflicts and the rise of militant organizations. The implications of these recent airstrikes and the political dynamics surrounding them are likely to play a crucial role in shaping future relations between India and Pakistan.
Original Source: https://tripurachronicle.in/world-news/op-sindoor-indian-cross-border-strike-targeted-home-of-jaish-chief-masood-azhar-in-bahawalpur/
Category : World News
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Publish Date: 2025-05-07 19:47:00
