Masood Azhar claims JeM has thousands of suicide bombers in new audio clip

Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed has once again tried to flex its muscle through propaganda, with the outfit releasing an audio message purportedly in the voice of its chief Maulana Masood Azhar. The audio, which has surfaced on social media platforms, claims that the outfit has “thousands” of suicide bombers ready to carry out attacks.

However, the exact date and authenticity of the audio message could not be independently verified.

In the message, Azhar is heard making sweeping claims about the strength of his cadre, saying they are not “one, two, or a hundred, not even a thousand”, and adding that revealing the actual number would cause an uproar in global media. He goes on to say that these recruits do not seek material rewards, visas, or personal gains, and only ask for “shahadat” (martyrdom).

The audio seems more of a desperate rant than a credible threat. The timing of the message is significant, coming months after Indian forces carried out strikes on Jaish targets inside Pakistan, including its headquarters in Bahawalpur, in which several of Azhar’s close relatives were killed.