KKN Gurugram Desk | Fifteen days after the horrific Pahalgam terror attack, India launched a retaliatory military offensive titled Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and parts of mainland Pakistan. The result: nine terror camps destroyed, over 100 terrorists neutralized, and the operational backbone of organizations like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen severely weakened.

However, four of the most wanted terrorists—Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed, Syed Salahuddin, and Dawood Ibrahim—remain untraceable, continuing to pose grave threats to regional and global security.

Masood Azhar: The Elusive Chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed

• Designation: UN-designated Global Terrorist

• Involvement: Parliament Attack (2001), Pathankot (2016), Pulwama (2019)

• Last Known Location: Pakistan’s Bahawalpur region

Masood Azhar is the founder and chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Released in the 1999 Kandahar hijacking exchange, he went on to orchestrate some of India’s deadliest attacks, including the Parliament attack and the Pulwama suicide bombing that killed 40 CRPF soldiers.

During Operation Sindoor, India’s missile strike obliterated the Markaz Subhan-Allah camp in Bahawalpur—reportedly JeM’s headquarters. The strike resulted in the deaths of ten of Azhar’s family members, including his brother Rauf Asghar. Yet, Azhar escaped, reportedly due to constant relocation by Pakistan’s ISI.

Where Is He Now?

Despite heavy targeting, Azhar’s precise whereabouts remain unknown. Intelligence reports suggest he is under ISI protection, moved frequently to prevent detection. He was not even allowed to attend the funerals of his own family, highlighting the intense secrecy surrounding his location.

Hafiz Saeed: The Radical Cleric Behind 26/11

• Designation: UN and US Designated Global Terrorist

• Role: Co-founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba

• Involvement: Mumbai 26/11 attacks, Parliament attack, Delhi blasts

• Headquarters: Muridke, near Lahore, Pakistan

Hafiz Saeed, co-founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the ideological brain behind 26/11 Mumbai attacks, has long used the cover of charitable and educational fronts like Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) to fund terror operations.

The 2008 Mumbai attacks killed 166 people, including foreign nationals. LeT is also held responsible for the 2005 Delhi bombings, 2006 Mumbai train blasts, 2016 Uri attack, and most recently, the 2025 Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 tourists.

US and UN Sanctions

The UN Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee designated Saeed a terrorist in December 2008. The US Treasury Department classified him as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in 2008. In 2019, Pakistan sentenced him to 31 years in prison for terror financing, but international observers question the authenticity of his confinement.

Operation Sindoor Targeted Muridke

India targeted Markaz Taiba, a LeT facility in Muridke, just 25 km from the Indian border and known to be the training ground for the 26/11 attackers. Although key infrastructure was destroyed, there’s no official confirmation of Saeed’s presence at the time.

Syed Salahuddin: The Shadow Leader of Hizbul Mujahideen

• Designation: Global Terrorist by US in 2017

• Role: Supreme Commander of Hizbul Mujahideen

• Base: Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir

Salahuddin heads Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), a Pakistan-backed militant outfit responsible for numerous attacks in Jammu & Kashmir during the 1990s and early 2000s. His name came to prominence after Burhan Wani’s death in 2016, which led to months of unrest in Kashmir.

Operation Sindoor’s Blow to Hizbul

Indian forces targeted HM’s facilities in Sialkot and Muzaffarabad, reportedly killing 20–25 active terrorists. While his network was crippled, Salahuddin himself managed to escape. His current location remains unclear, although signals intelligence (SIGINT) suggests he’s operating under deep cover.

Dawood Ibrahim: The Underworld Don Turned Global Terrorist

• Role: Chief of D-Company

• Primary Crime: 1993 Mumbai Serial Blasts (257 killed)

• Wanted By: India, USA, Interpol

• Reported Base: Karachi, Pakistan

Dawood Ibrahim, India’s most wanted fugitive, was the mastermind of the 1993 Mumbai bombings—one of the deadliest terror attacks in Indian history. His crime empire, known as D-Company, engages in narco-terrorism, arms smuggling, extortion, and hawala operations globally.

Although he is officially reported to be in Karachi, his location has long been a matter of speculation. Some reports from early 2025 suggest he spent part of the winter in Astola Island, a remote location in the Arabian Sea, before returning to the mainland.

Operation Sindoor and Dawood

While not directly linked to a single camp, sources suggest India’s strikes disrupted financial and logistical networks associated with D-Company in Karachi and Hyderabad (Sindh). Dawood’s properties in Maharashtra have been seized, and his brother Iqbal Kaskar is in Indian custody, but the don himself remains at large.

Operation Sindoor: Timeline and Tactical Success

• Launch Date: 15 Days after Pahalgam Attack

• Targeted Areas: Bahawalpur, Muridke, Muzaffarabad, Sialkot, Karachi

• Organizations Hit: JeM, LeT, HM

• Total Terror Camps Destroyed: 9

• Terrorist Casualties: 100+

• Key Sites Destroyed:

  • Markaz Subhan-Allah (Bahawalpur)

  • Markaz Taiba (Muridke)

  • Mahmoona Zoya Camp (Sialkot)

According to Indian intelligence, the strikes were precision-guided and executed using air-to-surface missiles. No civilian casualties were reported.

Global Reactions and Geopolitical Impact

The international community has responded with muted acknowledgment. While India received tacit support from the US and Israel, Pakistan denied the scale of the strikes and dismissed claims of collateral damage.

However, UN monitoring bodies have noted changes in movement patterns across terror-linked camps and suspect operational disruptions.

India’s Message: Zero Tolerance for Terror

The government of India, under its “zero tolerance to terrorism” doctrine, has made it clear that terrorist masterminds will no longer find safe havens. Operation Sindoor, much like the Balakot airstrike (2019), demonstrates India’s capacity for preemptive self-defense in accordance with international law.

What Lies Ahead: The Hunt Continues

Despite the success of Operation Sindoor, India’s mission is far from over. Capturing or neutralizing Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed, Syed Salahuddin, and Dawood Ibrahim remains a national priority. Their continued existence represents a threat not only to India’s sovereignty but to regional stability.

Intelligence inputs, cyber surveillance, international collaboration, and diplomatic pressure will continue to be part of India’s multi-pronged counterterrorism strategy.

Operation Sindoor has significantly weakened the structural capabilities of major terror groups operating from Pakistani soil. With nine terror camps dismantled and over 100 operatives eliminated, the operation stands as a reminder of India’s evolving counterterrorism doctrine.

Yet, until the four masterminds of terror—Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed, Syed Salahuddin, and Dawood Ibrahim—are brought to justice, the fight remains ongoing.