After Operation Sindoor, Al-Qaeda calls for 'jihad' across Indian subcontinent

Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) has issued a statement condemning Operation Sindoor and calling for a renewed jihad across the subcontinent.

Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian armed forces on Wednesday and, according to the government, involved precision missile strikes on nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The operation was a retaliatory response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, a prominent tourist resort in Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people.

“For all the Mujahideen of Islam and the Muslims of the Subcontinent, this war against India is Jihad Fi Sabilillah. It is a duty upon us to engage in this struggle to raise the Word of Allah, defend Islam and Muslims, and support the oppressed people of The Subcontinent.... It is now more necessary than ever for the Muslims of the Subcontinent to rise up in support of these stances and objectives,” the AQIS said in a statement.

It claimed, “On the night of May 6, 2025, the Indian 'Bhagwa' government conducted bombings at six locations in Pakistan, specifically targeting mosques and settlements. These bombings have reportedly led to the martyrdom and injury of numerous Muslims...Undoubtedly, this bombing adds yet another dark chapter to the long list of crimes committed by the 'Bhagwa' regime.”

“It is well known that India's war against Islam and Muslims did not begin with the recent incident in Pahalgam, this aggression has continued for decades. The Muslims of India and Kashmir have long endured some of the worst forms of oppression and tyranny in history,” it added.

The statement also said, “The Hindutva-driven 'Bhagwa' terrorists and their Modi-led government are currently waging a military, political, cultural, ideological, and media-based war to eliminate Islam and Muslims from the entire Subcontinent.”