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Mohammad Yusuf Azhar, also known by aliases like Mohammad Salim, Ustad Ji, and Ghosi Sahab, was a senior commander of the banned terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). He was killed during Operation Sindoor, a strategic offensive launched by the Indian Armed Forces on May 7, targeting nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Who Was Mohammad Yusuf Azhar?
Yusuf Azhar was a key figure within JeM and was believed to be heading the terror group’s complex in Balakot, Pakistan. He played a crucial role in training operatives in weapons handling and guerrilla tactics. His militant background and links to high-profile attacks had made him one of India’s most wanted terrorists.
Yusuf was also the brother-in-law of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar, the mastermind behind several deadly attacks on Indian soil, including the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC 814. Yusuf himself was a key conspirator in that hijacking, which forced India to release Masood Azhar from jail in exchange for the hostages.
In connection with the hijacking and other terror-related charges, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) obtained an Interpol Red Corner Notice against him (Red Notice No. A-565/6-2000). In 2002, the Government of India included Yusuf’s name in a list of 20 most-wanted fugitives shared with Pakistan. Despite international pressure and mounting evidence, Pakistan never apprehended the Karachi-born terrorist.
Operation Sindoor and His Death
Yusuf Azhar was reportedly eliminated in Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory military operation following a brutal terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, including many tourists. Alongside Yusuf, four other high-profile terrorists were neutralised: Mudassar Khadian Khas, Hafiz Muhammed Jameel, Khalid, and Mohammad Hassan Khan.
According to intelligence sources, Yusuf was inside a major JeM facility when Indian forces carried out precision strikes using missile technology. The facility, located in Balakot, has long been associated with Jaish’s terror operations and was also targeted during the 2019 Balakot airstrikes after the Pulwama attack.
Yusuf was deeply embedded in the operational structure of JeM. In addition to his role in the IC 814 hijacking, he was responsible for recruiting and radicalising youth, overseeing weapons training, and orchestrating attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. His death is seen as a significant blow to JeM’s command structure and morale.
India also targeted the Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur during the operation the core of JeM’s indoctrination and training activities. This centre is home to top JeM leaders, including Masood Azhar and Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar.
The killing of Mohammad Yusuf Azhar marks a pivotal moment in India’s counter-terrorism efforts. As a long-standing fugitive, a key player in the IC 814 hijacking, and a senior JeM leader, his death sends a strong message against cross-border terrorism. Operation Sindoor appears to be a calculated and high-impact response by Indian forces, aiming to dismantle terror infrastructure and eliminate those who have long evaded justice.
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