Surgical strike 2.0: Who is Yousuf Azhar? All you need to know about the man targeted by IAF airstrikes in Balakot

IAF's airstrikes on the largest JeM terror camp in Balakot were targeted at nailing Maulana Yousuf Azhar alias Ustad Ghauri, brother-in-law of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar.

Azhar, who led the terror training camp, also played a key role in the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 to Kandahar, which eventually led to the release of Maulana Masood Azhar.

"In an intelligence led operation in the early hours of today, India struck the biggest training camp of JeM in Balakot. In this operation, a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen action were eliminated. This facility at Balakot was headed by MAULANA YOUSUF AZHAR (alias USTAD GHOURI), the brother-in-law of MASOOD AZHAR, Chief of JeM," India's Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said in a statement.

While it is not clear if Yousuf was among the casualty of the attack, intel suggests he is dead.

Yousuf has been on India’s hitlist for long for playing a key role in the IC-814 hijacking about 20 years ago. During the hijacking, Masood was lodged in a Jammu jail.

JeM's Yusuf Azhar alias Mohammad Salim alias Ustaad Gohri who was targeted today by IAF #airstrike in Balakot across LOC was on the Interpol list and among the most wanted in India. pic.twitter.com/1eTj8FhFMJ

— ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2019

After the attacks, the Central Bureau of Investigation requested the Interpol to issue a red corner notice against the hijackers. The notice mentioned Yousuf’s birthplace as Karachi in Pakistan, and that he could speak both Urdu and Hindi fluently.

Yousuf's name also featured in the list of 20 fugitives, which India gave to Pakistan in 2002.

Three people were sentenced to life imprisonment in the case in 2008, however, Yusuf remained absconding.