Masood Azhar audio clip claims 'thousands' of JeM suicide bombers; Indian agencies probe

Masood Azhar has not been seen publicly since a blast at his Bahawalpur hideout in 2019, sparking persistent speculation about his health and whereabouts. (File photo)

• India analyzes JeM chief Masood Azhar's audio on suicide bombers.
• Recordings reveal desperation in Pakistan terror groups post-Indian strikes.
• Security officials verifying authenticity and threat from JeM sleeper cells

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Indian security agencies are reportedly analysing a newly surfaced audio clip purportedly featuring Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar, in which the UN-designated terrorist claims his outfit has “thousands” of suicide bombers ready for immediate deployment.

The alleged audio surfaced alongside a separate video of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) deputy chief and Pahalgam attack mastermind Saifullah Kasuri, states a Times of India report.

In the video, Kasuri is seen claiming that the Pakistani Army invited him to lead funeral prayers for soldiers killed during Operation Sindoor, India’s precision strikes launched in May last year after a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

Both recordings were circulated on Telegram and X by pro-ISI accounts, officials have been cited in the report.

As per security sources, the near-simultaneous release of the two messages points to mounting desperation within Pakistan-based terror networks battered by Indian military action.

Notably, Operation Sindoor is said to have destroyed key JeM facilities in Bahawalpur and eliminated at least 10 of Azhar’s close relatives and senior operatives.

In the audio clip, Azhar attempts to strike a defiant tone, asserting that the scale of his organisation would “cause an uproar in the global media” if fully revealed. He claims recruits are motivated solely by the pursuit of “martyrdom” and reject material incentives such as money, vehicles or foreign travel.

Kasuri’s video has also raised concern among agencies, as it shows him addressing a gathering at what appears to be a school, with hundreds of children visible in the audience.

In a separate clip, he welcomed closer diplomatic and military ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh, remarks that are now being closely examined by Indian intelligence officials, states the report.

Masood Azhar has not been seen publicly since a blast at his Bahawalpur hideout in 2019, sparking persistent speculation about his health and whereabouts. While the latest audio provides no visual confirmation of his condition, officials believe it suggests the JeM chief continues to operate from concealment, likely from within Pakistan.

Security agencies are currently examining voice samples and metadata linked to the recording to establish its authenticity, trace its origin and evaluate the threat posed by any surviving JeM sleeper cells, sources said.