Jamaat-ul-Muminat (JuM) is the female brigade of the Jaish-e-Mohammad that was launched after Operation Sindoor. While this is not the first time the terror outfit has tried launching such a formation, officials say that this time its focus is not just on women from Pakistan, but also from Jammu and Kashmir.
In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, Indian security agencies launched an all-out retaliation against Pakistan. Not only was terror infrastructure destroyed, but a considerable number of overground workers (OWGs) were also arrested.
The Jaish, therefore, has been looking to rebuild its terror infrastructure. While a recruitment drive is underway in Pakistan, the outfit is also scouting for women in Jammu and Kashmir.
An official said the group wants to create a female OWG network in the Valley. Women who have been recruited into JuM in Pakistan have been instructed during online classes to scout for females in Jammu and Kashmir. The outfit has stressed that rebuilding the OWG network in the Valley is important and that, preferably, most recruits should be women.
The JeM has instructed its women cadre to reach out to women in Jammu and Kashmir and train them.
An Intelligence Bureau official said this strategy of having a majority of women as OWGs helps the outfit avoid detection, as women generally draw less attention from security agencies. Additionally, they have been found to be more loyal to the cause compared to men.
Officials said that in the Valley, the target audience would be the wives, sisters, and relatives of slain terrorists. The strategy mirrors what the outfit adopted in Pakistan while launching JuM.
JuM is led by Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar’s sister, Sadiya Azhar, the widow of Yusuf Azhar, who was killed in Bahawalpur during Operation Sindoor.
Several other women who lost their husbands during the operation are also part of the outfit. Recruitment is underway in Bahawalpur, Karachi, Kotli, Haripur, Mansehra, and Muzaffarabad.
When asked whether recruitment of women from the Valley has begun, an official said the plan has been set in motion by the Jaish. While the current focus remains on Pakistan-based cadres, it is only a matter of time before the drive in the Valley begins.
During online classes, recruitment of women in Jammu and Kashmir is frequently discussed. Recruits have also been tasked with scouting for women in the Valley, the officer added.
The role of women OWGs would be multi-fold. They would be responsible for arranging logistics and ensuring the safety of terrorists involved in operations. They would also be tasked with gathering information, for which honey-trapping tactics could be used.
With the Jaish currently facing a cash crunch, women OWGs may also be tasked with raising funds. They could be used to transfer weapons, money, SIM cards, and other essential items required for terror attacks.
Intelligence Bureau officials said the Jaish may find the desired traction in the Valley due to past experiences. Earlier, JeM cadres entering the Valley often stayed with Kashmiri families and were known to be respectful toward women in those households. Women were also drawn to the outfit due to its perceived commitment to religion.
A similar recruitment drive targeting women had taken place after the abrogation of Article 370. Subsequently, security forces launched an offensive that led to the collapse of OWG networks of several terror groups. At that time, the Jaish attempted to recruit women and teenage boys as OWGs, but the effort was not entirely successful. However, an Intelligence Bureau official said that this time Jaish-e-Mohammad and JuM are likely to push much harder.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
