Abdul Rauf Asghar
| Abdul Rauf Azhar | |
|---|---|
| Born |
January 1, 1977 Bahawalpur, Pakistan |
| Allegiance | Jaish-e-Mohammad |
| Rank | Supreme Commander |
| Battles/wars | Afghanistan war, Kashmir War |
Abdul Rauf is a commander of the militant Pakistani group Jaish-e-Mohammed, based mainly in the Pakistan-administered portion of the state of Kashmir and also in Afghanistan.[1][2][3] The younger brother of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar, he was involved in the hijacking of an Indian Airlines Flight 814 and is one of the most wanted persons in India due to his history of militant activities.
Abdul Rauf Azhar took command of the Jaish-e-Mohammed on April 21, 2007, when his older brother, Maulana Masood Azhar its former leader, went underground.[4]
In 2009 the BBC News reported Rauf was one of the leaders summoned to Islamabad to help the Pakistani government negotiate with hostage-takers who had seized 42 civilians.[1]
On December 2, 2010, the United States Treasury designated Azhor a terrorist.[5]
References
- 1 2 Amir Mir (2009-10-16). "Pakistan Army roped in jehadis to hold talks with GHQ hostage takers". BBC News. Retrieved 2015-03-25.
Special planes were subsequently dispatched to Lahore, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan to bring to Rawalpindi Malik Ishaq, a jailed leader of the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, Mufti Abdul Rauf, the younger brother of Maulana Masood Azhar who is the acting ameer of the Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Maulana Mohammad Ahmed Ludhianvi, the chief of the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, to hold talks with the hostage takers.
mirror - ↑ "US sanctions three Pak terrorists". Press Trust Of India. 2010-12-04. Archived from the original on 2010-12-04.
US has slapped sanctions against three Pakistan-based key terrorists leaders, including Abdul Rauf Azhar the top commander of Jaish-e-Mohammed in India, who in 2008 was assigned to organise suicide attacks in the country.
- ↑ "Mufti Abdul Rauf New Commander; Reorganizing Terror Group Jaish E Mohammad". India Defence. 2007-04-25. Archived from the original on 2010-12-04.
According to the Daily Times - a leading Pakistani daily - Mufti Abdul Rauf has taken upon himself the task of spearheading the reorganisation of the militant body after Maulana Azhar went underground following two suicide attacks on President General Pervez Musharraf.
- ↑ "Jaish-e-Mohammed (Army of the Prophet)". Institute for Conflict Management. Archived from the original on 2010-12-04.
The outlawed JeM is reportedly re-organising itself under its new commander Mufti Abdul Rauf, younger brother of the outfit's chief Maulana Masood Azhar
- ↑ Bill Roggio (2010-12-02). "US designates Pakistan-based leaders of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Jaish-e-Mohammed as terrorists". Long War Journal. Archived from the original on 2010-12-04.
Azhar has been identified by the Treasury Department as "a senior leader" of JeM who "has urged Pakistanis to engage in militant activities." In 2007, Azhar served as JeM's "acting leader."