‘Thousands of Suicide Bombers Ready’: JeM Chief Masood Azhar’s Audio Surfaces Online

Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed has again attempted to project strength through propaganda, with an audio message circulating online that is purported to be in the voice of its chief, Maulana Masood Azhar. In the clip, the speaker claims the outfit has “thousands” of suicide attackers ready to strike. The authenticity and date of the audio, however, could not be independently verified.

In the recording, Azhar boasts about the scale of his cadre, saying their numbers go far beyond hundreds or even thousands, and claims that disclosing the real figure would cause global outrage. He adds that these recruits seek neither money nor personal benefits, but only “shahadat” or martyrdom.

Security analysts view the message more as an attempt to stay relevant rather than a credible operational threat. The timing is notable, coming months after Indian forces carried out strikes on Jaish targets, including its Bahawalpur headquarters, under Operation Sindoor. The strikes were launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.

Jaish later indirectly acknowledged casualties from the strikes. A senior commander admitted that several of Azhar’s relatives were killed when the Bahawalpur facility, Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah, was heavily damaged.

Masood Azhar, a UN-designated terrorist and the mastermind behind attacks such as Pathankot (2016) and Pulwama (2019), has not appeared publicly since 2019. Intelligence reports suggest he may now be hiding in Pakistan-occupied areas.