Masood Azhar dead? Here's what we know so far

The social media was on Sunday filled with reports suggesting Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar has died.

By : ABP News Bureau | Updated at : 03 Mar 2019 10:46 PM (IST)

Masood Azhar dead? Here's What we know so far Masood Azhar dead? Here's what we know so far

JeM chief Masood Azhar. FILE Photo: AFP

Several reports have emerged on the social media suggesting Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar has died.

However, there was no confirmation from any authoritative sources.

Reports claimed Masood Azhar was seriously injured in the air strike carried out by the IAF in Balakot.

NEW DELHI: The social media was on Sunday filled with reports suggesting Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar has died. However, there was no confirmation from any authoritative sources. This comes days after India carried out air strikes against the biggest training camp of JeM in Pakistan's Balakot. In the operation, at least 350 JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for suicide attacks were eliminated. Here's What we know so far

Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar is "alive", a Pakistani media report said quoting unnamed sources close to his family. The media reports claiming that JeM leader is dead are false, Geo Urdu News reported. The report came amid speculation on social media that JeM founder has died. Quoting unnamed sources close to the family of the JeM chief, the channel said Azhar is "alive", without elaborating on his health condition.
There was no official word on Azhar's fate from the Pakistan government. "I don't know anything at this moment," Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry told PTI, when asked about media reports claiming death of Azhar.
Intelligence agencies are trying to ascertain reports on the social media about the death of Masood Azhar in Pakistan, PTI quoted officials as saying. The officials said they had no information other than that Azhar was undergoing treatment at an army hospital after suffering renal failure.
IANS quoted a report from Islamabad saying the JeM founder was undergoing dialysis in a Pakistan army hospital. Reports claimed that after getting seriously injured in the air strike, Masood Azhar died in a hospital.
A video clip of Masood Azhar's brother Maulana Ammar reportedly surfaced on Saturday where he can be heard accepting that the Balakot camp had taken a hit.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had on Friday admitted that Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar was in Pakistan and was "very unwell". "He is in Pakistan, according to my information. He is unwell to the extent that he can't leave his house, because he's really unwell," Qureshi said.
Intense speculation made the rounds about Masood Azhar's whereabouts with a report of him getting killed in the bombardment by Indian Air Force (IAF) on a terror camp in Balakot going viral.
India carried out air strikes against the biggest training camp of JeM in Pakistan's Balakot. In the operation, at least 350 JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for suicide attacks were eliminated. Sources said the top leadership of the JeM also suffered the hit in the strikes.

(With inputs from PTI)

Published at : 03 Mar 2019 07:29 PM (IST)

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Masood Azhar Jaish-e-Mohammed