Yusuf Azhar, IC-814 Hijack Mastermind and Masood Azhar's Brother-in-law, Killed in Indian Strike on JeM HQ

India Strikes Back: Retaliation Targets Top Terrorists Behind Pahalgam and Pulwama Attacks​

New Delhi, May 10 — Yusuf Azhar, the brother-in-law of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar and a key conspirator of the 1999 IC-814 hijacking, was among five terrorists killed in a precision strike by India on the terror outfit’s headquarters in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, officials confirmed.

The strike was carried out in retaliation for the Pahalgam massacre, in which 26 civilians were killed on April 22. Yusuf Azhar, who was in his late 50s, had a long history of terrorism and was on India's most-wanted list with an Interpol Red Notice and designation under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

From 1998 Infiltration to 1999 Hijack​

According to officials, Yusuf infiltrated India in 1998 using a fake passport arranged by Abdul Latif. The following year, he was instrumental in the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC-814, which originated from Kathmandu and was eventually taken to Kandahar after brief halts in Amritsar, Lahore, and Abu Dhabi.

The hijacking was orchestrated to secure the release of JeM founder Masood Azhar, who was then in Indian custody. The operation ended with the release of Masood Azhar, Omar Sheikh, and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar in exchange for 179 passengers and 11 crew members.

Officials revealed that Yusuf, along with Masood Azhar's brothers Abdul Rauf and Ibrahim Athar, had made several attempts to free Azhar from jail. Athar had studied vulnerabilities at Kathmandu airport, which eventually led to the hijacking plan.

May 7 Strike Ends Decades-long Hunt​

The airstrike on May 7 targeted JeM’s stronghold in Bahawalpur, where Yusuf was staying at the Markaz Subhanallah facility, along with other family members of Masood Azhar. Officials confirmed the deaths of five top terrorists in the attack:

• Yusuf Azhar (JeM)
• Mudassar Khadian Khas alias Abu Jundal (LeT)
• Khalid alias Abu Akasha (LeT)
• Hafiz Muhammed Jameel (JeM)
• Mohammad Hassan Khan (JeM)

Sources indicated that JeM had cleared its seminary days before the strike, but senior leadership and close family members of Masood Azhar remained, resulting in multiple high-profile casualties. Masood Azhar later acknowledged that 10 family members and four associates were killed in the missile strike.

A Blow to JeM and LeT​

The Bahawalpur facility was not only the operational nerve center of Jaish-e-Mohammed but also the same camp where the 2019 Pulwama terror attack was planned, officials stated. The Pulwama attack killed 40 CRPF personnel and had triggered significant cross-border military escalation.

The targeted elimination of Yusuf Azhar marks a significant moment in India’s long pursuit of justice for the IC-814 hijack and other terror attacks originating from Pakistani soil.