After suffering a massive blow in India’s Operation Sindoor, which destroyed its headquarters at Markaz Subhanallah in Pakistan’s Bahawalpur, terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) appears to be shifting tactics as it has announced the formation of its first women’s unit named ‘Jamaat-ul-Mominaat’. The decision was made public through a letter issued under the name of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar.
Recruitment for the unit began in Bahawalpur on October 8.
According to sources, the JeM’s women’s wing will be led by Sadiya Azhar, the sister of Masood Azhar. Her husband, Yusuf Azhar, was among the family members of Azhar who were eliminated by strikes as part of Operation Sindoor on May 7.
Sources said that the terrorist outfit has begun enlisting wives of its members as well as economically weaker women studying at its centres in Bahawalpur, Karachi, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Haripur, and Mansehra.
The JeM’s women unit is aimed at carrying out psychological warfare, which is propaganda and ground-level recruitment. As per sources, the activities of ‘Jamaat-ul-Mominaat’ are spreading through social media, WhatsApp groups, and the network of some madrasas. It has become active via online networks in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and some areas of south India.
According to intelligence reports, the women’s brigade will be led by Sadiya Azhar, the sister of Masood Azhar. Her husband, Yusuf Azhar, was killed on May 7 during India’s strike on JeM’s Markaz Subhanallah base.
Sources indicate that the organization has begun recruiting wives of JeM commanders and economically vulnerable women studying at JeM-affiliated religious centers across Bahawalpur, Karachi, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Haripur, and Mansehra.
Traditionally rooted in Deobandi ideology, JeM had long prohibited women from taking part in jihad or combat operations. However, after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, the group appears to have reassessed its approach.
Intelligence inputs suggest that Masood Azhar and his brother Talha al-Saif jointly approved the formation of this exclusive female unit, integrating women into JeM’s broader operational framework.
While organizations such as ISIS, Boko Haram, Hamas, and the LTTE have previously deployed women in suicide missions, groups like JeM, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) had historically avoided such tactics. Analysts now believe JeM’s new initiative could signal its intent to train and deploy female suicide bombers in upcoming operations.
Following Operation Sindoor, JeM, along with HM and LeT, has reportedly relocated its bases to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) in northwestern Pakistan.
In an attempt to rebuild its destroyed network, Pakistan is reportedly supporting fundraising initiatives. As per an IANS report from August, JeM launched an online fundraising campaign via EasyPaisa, aiming to collect Rs 3.91 billion to construct 313 new markaz (centers) across Pakistan.