UN panel flags JeM link to Red Fort attack
A deadly, high-intensity explosion rocked New Delhi’s Red Fort area, killing 15 people and injuring many others.
UN Report Exposes Pakistan-Based Terror Links to Delhi’s Red Fort Bloodbath
Imagine this: It’s a crisp November evening in Old Delhi, the kind where families flock to the historic Red Fort for selfies and street food. Suddenly, a deafening blast rips through the air near the Red Fort metro station. A slow-moving car at a traffic signal erupts in flames, killing 15 innocent people—tourists, commuters, everyday folks just trying to get home. Shrapnel flies, screams echo off ancient walls, and chaos engulfs one of India’s most iconic landmarks. Fast-forward to February 2026, and a bombshell UN Security Council report confirms what many suspected: This wasn’t random. It was the handiwork of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), the Pakistan-based terror outfit that’s long haunted the subcontinent.
The 37th report from the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, submitted to the UNSC’s 1267 Sanctions Committee on ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida, doesn’t mince words. It was also reported to be linked to an attack on the Red Fort in New Delhi on November 9 that killed 15 people,” the document states plainly. Submitted on February 4, 2026, and now public, this 30-plus-page dossier paints a grim picture of terror networks thriving despite global sanctions.
But JeM isn’t just resting on old laurels. The report drops another shocker: On October 8, JeM’s shadowy chief, Mohammed Masood Azhar Alvi—yes, that Masood Azhar, the UN-designated global terrorist—formally unveiled a women-only wing called Jamaat ul-Muminat. It’s not some empowerment club; it’s explicitly aimed at bolstering terrorist attacks. Think about that for a second. In a region where women have fought for decades to break barriers, extremists are cynically weaponizing them for jihad. This move screams desperation—or evolution—as JeM seeks fresh recruits amid crackdowns.
The report isn’t all harmony, though. One member state dismisses JeM as “defunct,” a claim that rings hollow against the evidence. It also flags a July 28 operation in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where security forces neutralized three alleged perpetrators of a deadly attack there. Pahalgam, with its stunning meadows and houseboat tourism, has become a flashpoint, underscoring how terror bleeds from borders into tourist havens.
Back in New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) didn’t let this slide. At his weekly briefing on Thursday, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed the report head-on. “This particular report that you refer to, it is available in the public domain. It is online. This was the 37th Report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, published on February 4, 2026,” he said, his tone measured but firm. Jaiswal highlighted a silver lining: “We have seen that they have taken on board our inputs, India’s inputs in regard to our concern on cross-border terrorism, and also as to how we can strengthen the global fight against terrorism.” It’s a diplomatic nod, but reading between the lines, India’s pushing hard for accountability—especially from neighbors who host these groups.
The report widens the lens to the Afghan quagmire, where instability fuels the fire. Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) is hunkered down in southeastern Afghanistan, under the Haqqani Network’s thumb—a Taliban ally with deep Pakistani roots. AQIS “emir” Osama Mahmoud and deputy Yahya Ghauri are reportedly chilling in Kabul, with their media cell in Herat. Worse, AQIS is pivoting to “external operations”—think unclaimed, deniable strikes, possibly under the banner of Ittihad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan. Why? To shield their Taliban hosts from blowback. It’s a shadowy alliance that keeps the subcontinent on edge.
Then there’s ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K), rampaging in northern Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province and near the Pakistan border. They’re building cells for regional and global threats, pumping out aggressive propaganda in Central Asian languages. The report notes how ISIL-K exploits hot-button issues like the Gaza-Israel conflict to lure recruits and cash. It’s not just rhetoric; it’s a recruitment goldmine in vulnerable communities.
For India, this hits close to home. The Red Fort attack echoes the 2001 Parliament assault—also pinned on JeM—killing nine and nearly sparking war. Cross-border terrorism remains New Delhi’s red line with Islamabad, especially post-Pulwama in 2019, when JeM’s suicide bombing killed 40 CRPF jawans, prompting Balakot airstrikes. Pakistan’s denial game—”non-state actors,” they call them—wears thin when UN reports like this stack up.
Globally, it’s a wake-up call. Sanctions are only as strong as enforcement. India’s MEA input signals a multilateral push, but questions linger: Will Pakistan act on JeM? Is Afghanistan’s Taliban reining in guests like AQIS? And how do we counter women radicalized into terror?
As we sip our evening chai on February 13, 2026, this report reminds us: Terrorism doesn’t respect borders or holidays. It thrives in shadows, from Delhi’s streets to Kabul’s hideouts. Vigilance, diplomacy, and decisive action are our best bets. India’s voice in the UNSC matters now more than ever—let’s hope it echoes loud enough to dismantle these networks for good.