UN report flags Jaish-e-Mohammed’s role in Red Fort attack, notes creation of women’s wing

PTC Web Desk: The United Nations Security Council’s Monitoring Team has cited fresh concerns over the activities of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), stating that the outfit claimed responsibility for several attacks during the latest reporting period and was allegedly linked to last year’s deadly strike on Delhi’s Red Fort.

In its 37th report submitted under the UN’s counter-terrorism sanctions framework, the Monitoring Team recorded inputs from a Member State indicating that JeM, a UN-designated terrorist organisation,  had taken responsibility for multiple incidents. The same Member State also informed the panel that the group was connected to the November 10 attack on the Red Fort, a high-security heritage monument in the national capital, which left 15 persons dead.

The report also draws attention to what appears to be a strategic shift within the organisation. On October 8, JeM chief Mohammed Masood Azhar Alvi reportedly announced the formation of a women-only unit named Jamaat ul-Muminat. Though this new wing is not listed separately under the UN sanctions regime, a Member State told the Monitoring Team that it was created to facilitate and support terrorist operations, suggesting a restructuring effort within the banned outfit.

This development follows earlier reports that JeM had initiated a digital outreach programme aimed at women. The group is said to have launched an online course titled “Tufat al-Muminat” (Gift to the Believers), featuring daily virtual lectures designed to radicalise and recruit women as part of its broader expansion strategy.

However, the UN report also reflects contrasting assessments within the international community. While one Member State flagged JeM’s continued operational activities, another reportedly described the organisation as defunct, presenting a markedly different view of its current status.

The Monitoring Team has not disclosed the identities of the Member States that provided these inputs. Strategic analysts believe that attempts to portray JeM as inactive may be aimed at deflecting scrutiny, particularly given the group’s long-standing presence in the region.

The findings are part of the Monitoring Team’s routine assessment of threats posed by individuals and entities sanctioned under the UN’s counter-terrorism mechanism. The report comes at a time when global attention remains focused on cross-border terror networks and their evolving methods of recruitment and operational planning.