Pakistan-Based Islamic Extremist Group Establishes Women's Combat Division
Summary
The Pakistani Islamic terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) announced the formation of a women's wing called Jamaat-ul-Muminat (JuM), meaning "Organization of Female Believers," in late 2025, with the announcement made in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Founded in 2000, JeM has long pursued Islamic terrorist attacks against Indian targets and sought to bring the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region under Pakistani control, using social media and information warfare to recruit members. The creation of JuM is primarily driven by the need to offset mounting casualties among male JeM fighters, following a broader pattern seen in Arab Islamic terrorist groups that previously exploited women and young girls as unwilling suicide bombers controlled remotely by handlers. New JuM recruits undergo more than a month of intensive training and ideological indoctrination, though it remains unclear whether the organization will employ the same coercive suicide bombing tactics used against women by other extremist groups. In mid-October, JeM launched recruitment drives in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir specifically targeting women and attempting to transition them from support roles into direct frontline combat operations.
Key Takeaways
- 1. JeM established a dedicated women's wing (JuM) to replace growing losses of male fighters with radicalized female recruits
- 2. The move follows historical precedents set by Arab extremist groups that coerced women and girls into serving as remotely detonated suicide bombers
- 3. JeM's core objectives remain unchanged: conducting terrorist attacks inside India and annexing Jammu and Kashmir into Pakistan
- 4. New female recruits undergo over a month of training and indoctrination, with their potential tactical deployment still uncertain
- 5. JeM actively exploits social media and information warfare platforms to radicalize and recruit vulnerable individuals into its ranks