Op Sindoor Eliminates Masood Azhar’s Brother-in-Law, Key Figure in IC-814 Hijack
New Delhi | May 10, 2025 — In a major counter-terrorism breakthrough, the Indian Armed Forces have eliminated Mohammad Yusuf Azhar, the brother-in-law of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar and a key figure in the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814. The operation, codenamed Operation Sindoor, was carried out on May 7 and targeted multiple terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
According to security sources cited by PTI, Yusuf Azhar—also known by aliases such as Ustad Ji, Mohd Salim, and Ghosi Sahab—was among five terrorists neutralized in the precision strike. The operation specifically targeted locations known to shelter JeM operatives and facilitate cross-border infiltration.
Yusuf Azhar had long been on India’s radar for his role in the IC-814 hijack. The 1999 incident saw an Indian Airlines aircraft en route from Kathmandu to Delhi diverted to Kandahar, then under Taliban control. The hijackers, including Yusuf, demanded the release of jailed militants, including Masood Azhar. India ultimately agreed to release three terrorists to secure the return of over 170 hostages.
An Interpol Red Corner Notice (A-565/6-2000) had been issued against Yusuf Azhar for charges of hijacking, kidnapping, and murder. One passenger, Rupan Katyal, lost his life during the hijack. Post-hijack, Yusuf reportedly oversaw weapons training camps for JeM fighters and played a strategic role in multiple terror plots across Jammu and Kashmir.
Sources said that Op Sindoor marked a coordinated effort to dismantle key elements of JeM’s cross-border network. The Ministry of Defence has not yet released an official statement but is expected to brief the media later this week
Op Sindoor: Indian Armed Forces Kill IC-814 Hijacker Mohammad Yusuf Azhar in Deep Strike on JeM Bases
New Delhi — In a significant blow to Pakistan-based terror infrastructure, the Indian Armed Forces have killed Mohammad Yusuf Azhar—a senior Jaish-e-Mohammed commander and one of the masterminds behind the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814. The precision operation, code-named Operation Sindoor, was launched on May 7 and struck nine high-value terror targets across Pakistan and PoK.
Defense officials confirmed that Yusuf Azhar, known to Indian intelligence agencies for decades and listed in Interpol’s Red Corner Notice, was eliminated alongside four other JeM operatives in a coordinated air-ground strike. Satellite imagery and real-time surveillance reportedly played a key role in confirming his presence at the targeted site.
Yusuf Azhar, brother-in-law of JeM chief Masood Azhar, was instrumental in running training modules for JeM’s cadre and had reportedly coordinated infiltration attempts across the LoC. He was also directly linked to the hijacking of flight IC-814, which resulted in the release of three jailed terrorists, including Masood Azhar, under duress.
“This operation is not just a tactical success, but a strategic signal,” said a senior intelligence source. “It closes a dark chapter from 1999 and demonstrates our long-range operational reach.”
Defense analysts have called Operation Sindoor one of the most precise strikes since the Balakot airstrikes of 2019, noting its focus on high-value human targets rather than infrastructure alone. Government sources indicated that further disclosures may be made pending confirmation of DNA and biometric evidence collected from the site