UN report links Jaish-e-Mohammed to Red Fort attack, flags new women’s wing

UN report cites member state claim tying JeM to Red Fort attack and flags creation of a women-only unit within the group

PGurus Newsdesk

February 12, 2026

Jaish-e-Mohammed tied to Red Fort attack in UN report

Report notes divergent member state views on JeM’s current status

A United Nations counter-terrorism monitoring team has identified Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) as being linked to the deadly attack on Delhi’s historic Red Fort and expressed fresh concern over the group’s evolving organisational strategies, including the creation of a women-only wing to support terrorist operations.

In its latest report to the UN Security Council, the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team said that one Member State reported JeM had claimed responsibility for a series of attacks and was also connected to the assault on the Red Fort in New Delhi on November 9, which killed 15 people.

The report also noted that on October 8, JeM chief Masood Azhar formally announced the establishment of a women-only wing called Jamaat ul-Muminat. According to the UN team, the new unit is intended to support terrorist activities, signalling a potential shift in the group’s recruitment and facilitation methods. Analysts say such developments reflect broader trends among extremist organisations that seek to expand their support base, strengthen logistics networks, and avoid security scrutiny by involving women in auxiliary or operational roles.

JeM, which is designated by the UN as an Al-Qaida-associated entity, has a long record of terrorist activity primarily targeting India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. Founded in 2000, the group has been implicated in several high-profile attacks on security forces and civilian targets. Its leader, Masood Azhar, has long been subject to UN sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes.

However, the Monitoring Team highlighted differing assessments among Member States regarding JeM’s current operational status. While some governments continue to regard the group as active and capable of carrying out attacks, another Member State described it as defunct. Such differences underline ongoing challenges in intelligence assessments and international counter-terrorism coordination in South Asia.

The UN report situates these developments within a broader and evolving terrorist threat environment across Central and South Asia, where extremist groups continue to exploit instability, permissive conditions, and cross-border networks. The Monitoring Team cautioned that despite sustained counter-terrorism efforts, groups such as JeM have demonstrated an ability to adapt, whether through new recruitment strategies or high-profile symbolic attacks.

Separately, the report mentioned that three individuals allegedly involved in a separate attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, were killed in July, highlighting ongoing security operations targeting militant networks in the region.

Overall, the findings reflect the UN’s concern that even when terror outfits appear weakened or fragmented, their capacity to reorganise, rebrand, and carry out high-impact attacks continues to pose a serious threat to regional and international security.

For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.