According to a statement attributed to Azhar and cited by news agency PTI, the fatalities occurred during India's strike on the JeM headquarters Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Those killed reportedly include Azhar’s elder sister, her husband, a nephew and his wife, a niece, and five children from his extended family. Four of his close aides, described as “companions,” were also killed.
In a chilling response, Azhar expressed no remorse over the deaths, instead framing them as “blessings.” In his statement, he said:
“Ten members of my family were blessed with this happiness tonight... five are innocent children, my elder sister, her honorable husband, my scholar nephew and his wife, my beloved scholar niece, my brother Huzaifah, and his mother... two more dear companions. They are now the guests of Allah.” Azhar, who is 56 years old and has been designated a global terrorist by the United Nations, further remarked, “I have neither regret nor despair. Rather, it comes to my heart again and again that I too would have joined this fourteen-member happy caravan.” He has reportedly invited people to join in the funeral prayers of those killed.
India launched 24 missile strikes on nine locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) early on May 6 as part of Operation Sindoor a measured, high-precision response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
Key targets included terror infrastructure in Bahawalpur, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Rawalakot, Bhimber, Neelum Valley, Jhelum, Chakwal, and Chakswari. The Indian government confirmed that the strikes were carried out with precision-guided munitions such as SCALP and HAMMER missiles, ensuring maximum tactical impact with minimal collateral damage. Government sources confirmed that the operation resulted in the deaths of over 70 terrorists, with more than 60 injured. All targets were vetted based on credible intelligence, and every effort was made to minimize civilian casualties.
“The nature of asymmetric warfare often sees terrorist groups embed their facilities in densely populated civilian areas, complicating any effort to avoid non-combatant casualties completely,” a senior government official said. They added that attacks were scheduled late at night to avoid civilian presence, and UAV surveillance confirmed that the impact remained restricted to pre-identified terror-linked compounds.
While India has maintained that the operation was non-escalatory, precise, and proportional, Pakistan has accused India of killing civilians, claiming that at least 10 civilians died in cross-LoC shelling in the Poonch sector, including two children. India, however, insists that Pakistan is inflating civilian impact as part of its international sympathy strategy. Masood Azhar’s public statement is seen by analysts as both a confirmation of India’s strike accuracy and an attempt to spin the deaths as martyrdom to inspire future recruits and maintain morale within JeM.
Masood Azhar has been linked to numerous major terror attacks in India, including:
- The 2001 Parliament attack
- The 2008 Mumbai attacks
- The 2016 Pathankot airbase attack
- The 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing
