Jaish-e-Mohammed Launches Online Course to Recruit Women

Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has initiated an online educational program aimed at recruiting women and generating funds for its newly established women’s division, Jamat ul-Muminat. The course, titled Tufat al-Muminat, is set to commence on November 8, 2023, and reportedly seeks to disseminate extremist ideologies to women through a series of religious and jihad-centric teachings.

The decision to offer this online course comes in response to the strict social regulations in Pakistan that often restrict women’s mobility. By utilizing the internet, JeM can reach potential recruits in a more accessible manner. Each participant will be required to pay 500 Pakistani rupees as a “donation” for the course. The classes will be conducted by Masood Azhar‘s sisters, Sadiya Azhar and Samaira Azhar, who will instruct on women’s “duties” within the framework of jihad and Islam.

Background and Objectives

This initiative follows Azhar’s announcement on October 8, 2023, regarding the formation of the women’s wing during a gathering at Markaz Usman-o-Ali in Bahawalpur. Shortly after, on October 19, JeM organized an event named Dukhtaran-e-Islam in Rawalkot, located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, to further encourage female participation in the new unit.

JeM is reportedly aiming to create a female cadre comparable to other militant organizations such as ISIS, Hamas, and the LTTE. Officials express concern that this could eventually lead to women being trained for suicide missions or other forms of militant activities. Notably, Sadiya Azhar has been appointed to lead the new unit, while her husband, Yusuf Azhar, a JeM commander, was killed during India’s Operation Sindoor.

Target Audience and Implications

JeM appears to be strategically targeting the wives of its commanders and economically disadvantaged women who attend its educational centers in cities such as Karachi, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Haripur, and Mansehra. A senior counter-terrorism official noted that after the aforementioned operation and the Pahalgam attack, JeM recognized that involving women could facilitate logistics and propaganda, as they might evade security checks more easily.

The shift towards online recruitment underscores a broader strategy to adapt to changing circumstances and maximize outreach. As JeM continues to leverage modern technology and social media, the implications for regional security could be significant. The international community remains vigilant as these developments unfold, particularly given Masood Azhar‘s designation as a global terrorist by the United Nations.

As this situation evolves, the focus will likely remain on the mechanisms and motivations behind JeM’s efforts to engage women in its operations, highlighting the complex intersection of gender, radicalization, and extremism in contemporary conflict zones.