Jaish commander Abdul Rauf Azhar, mastermind of IC-814 hijacking, killed in Operation Sindoor?

Abdul Rauf Azhar, younger brother of JeM chief Masood Azhar and the mastermind behind the 1999 IC-814 hijacking, was killed in India's Operation Sindoor.

Kahdhar/IC-814 hijacking

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A day after Operation Sindoor, unconfirmed reports have claimed that Abdul Rauf Azhar, a senior Jaish-e-Mohammad commander and the mastermind behind the 1999 IC-814 hijacking, has been killed during India's Pahalgam retaliation strikes.

The senior Jaish-e-Mohammed leader played a pivotal role in orchestrating the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC-814 in 1999 — an operation that directly led to the release of Omar Saeed Sheikh, a jailed Al-Qaeda operative. 

Sheikh later went on to kidnap and murder American-Jewish journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002. By enabling Sheikh’s release, Rauf Azhar indirectly facilitated one of the most brutal terror crimes of the 21st century. His elimination in India’s Operation Sindoor not only avenges Indian victims of terror but also brings long-overdue justice in the global fight against state-protected jihadist networks.

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Azhar, who is the younger brother of JeM chief Masood Azhar, was one of the key figures reportedly targeted in the multi-agency precision strikes carried out across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

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Some reports claimed that the funeral of Rauf Asgar happened on Wednesday in Bahawalpur and was attended by Pakistan Army and ISI.

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Please note: Asianet News English cannot independently verify this claim. An official confirmation from the government is awaited.

If confirmed, his death marks a major breakthrough for Indian security agencies, given his long-standing role in orchestrating cross-border terror attacks. Azhar had been designated a global terrorist by the United Nations and the United States. His presence was reportedly confirmed at one of the JeM-linked terror training facilities destroyed during the strikes.

Abdul Rauf Azhar: IC-814 hijacking in 1999

Abdul Rauf Azhar, the slain Jaish-e-Mohammad commander targeted in India’s Operation Sindoor, played a central role in one of the most dramatic terror incidents in Indian history — the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC-814 in December 1999. Acting with the backing of Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, and the Taliban, Azhar orchestrated the week-long hostage crisis to secure the release of 36 jailed Islamist terrorists. Among the three ultimately freed were his elder brother Masood Azhar, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh (later convicted in the murder of journalist Daniel Pearl), and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar.

Soon after their release, the trio founded the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in 2000, which went on to become one of the most active and lethal anti-India jihadi groups in the region. Under Azhar’s leadership, JeM has been linked to several high-profile attacks, including the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, the 2008 Mumbai terror assault, the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, and the deadly 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing.

Abdul Rauf Azhar, long on India's most-wanted list and designated a global terrorist by the UN and the US, remained a key strategic figure within JeM. His killing in Operation Sindoor marks a significant milestone in India’s counterterrorism operations.