The identities of at least five high-profile terrorists killed during Indian air strikes in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor on May 7 have been confirmed, sources said on Saturday.
Among those neutralised was Mudassar Khadian Khas, also known by his aliases Mudassar and Abu Jundal, a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative who oversaw the Markaz Taiba in Muridke. His funeral was marked by significant official presence, with wreaths laid on behalf of Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. The funeral prayers, held at a government school, were led by Hafiz Abdul Rauf of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), a UN-designated global terrorist. A serving lieutenant general of the Pakistan Army and the Inspector General of Punjab Police also attended the ceremony.
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Hafiz Muhammed Jameel, elder brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) founder Maulana Masood Azhar, was also killed. He managed Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, which was among the targets of the strikes. Sources said Jameel was instrumental in radicalising youth and raising funds for JeM’s operations.
Another key figure eliminated was Mohammad Yusuf Azhar, also known as Ustad Ji, Mohd Salim, and Ghosi Sahab. A brother-in-law of Masood Azhar, Yusuf Azhar was a JeM operative wanted in connection with the IC-814 hijacking and was implicated in several terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.
Two other terrorists—Khalid alias Abu Akasha of LeT, and Mohammad Hassan Khan of JeM—were also confirmed dead. Khalid, involved in numerous attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and weapons smuggling from Afghanistan, was buried in Faisalabad, where senior Pakistani military officials and the city’s Deputy Commissioner were present.
Khan was the son of Mufti Asghar Khan Kashmiri, the operational commander of JeM in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. He played a critical role in planning and coordinating terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, sources added.
(With inputs from PTI)
