JeM commander: We embraced terror to protect Pak's borders

NEW DELHI: In an acknowledgement of Indian missiles having decimated the primary Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) headquarters in Bahawalpur during Op Sindoor, Masood Ilyas Kashmiri, a top JeM commander, has been captured on video as saying that JeM supremo Maulana Masood Azhar 's family was ripped apart in Bahawalpur on May 7.

In the 15-minute speech posted on pro-Jaish Telegram channels, Kashmiri, heavily guarded by Pak army commandos, narrated how despite the terror outfit's members having sacrificed everything, India managed to decimate Masood Azhar's family at Markaz Subhan Allah on May 7. "We embraced terrorism... fought Delhi, Kabul, and Kandahar to protect the borders of Pakistan. But after sacrificing everything, on May 7, Maulana Masood Azhar's family was torn apart by Indian forces in Bahawalpur," he said.

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Sources said the speech was made last week during a religious-political event in Balakot, aimed at spreading awareness on Prophet Mohammed. However, the video shows Kashmiri engaging in anti-India rhetoric while exhorting Pak youths to join jihad. Kashmiri gave a call for expansion of jihad to target India and Israel, mentioning Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu specifically.

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Markaz Subhan Allah, which housed the core group of JeM, was one of the nine targets struck by India during Op Sindoor. A day after the strike, a WhatsApp message was circulated by JeM accepting the death of ten of Azhar's family members.