"I wish I had also died": Terrorist Masood Azhar reacts to death of family members in Op Sindoor

In a major fallout of the Indian Army’s Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), 14 members of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar’s family were reportedly killed, including his sister and close relatives.

The strikes, carried out in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, hit key locations in Bahawalpur, Punjab province of Pakistan. Among the targets was the Subhan Allah Complex, a known JeM base. Azhar is believed to have responded with a letter stating, “I wish I had also died in this attack.”

JeM issued a statement confirming the deaths of Azhar’s sister, Maulana Kashf’s family, and grandchildren of Mufti Abdul Rauf. Several other family members, including women and children, were injured. Funeral services for the deceased were scheduled for May 7.

Indian Army Colonel Sophia Qureshi presented visual evidence of the targeted strikes, including the destruction of the Muridke camp—infamous for training terrorists involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Colonel Qureshi reiterated that only terror bases were hit and no civilian or military infrastructure in Pakistan was targeted.

The Indian Army, backed by the Ministry of External Affairs, affirmed that the action was strictly in response to the Pahalgam killings and aimed at eliminating threats without harming innocents. Operation Sindoor, they said, is part of India’s ongoing commitment to holding terror masterminds accountable.