Shaheen Force: Al Qaeda's new women wing in the sub-continent

There is a growing clamour among all terrorist groups to recruit women bombers into their fold. With the ISIS desperately seeking the release of Sajida al Rishwai, the Al-Qaeda in the sub-continent has now launched an all women's force through which it plans to recruit female suicide bombers from India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The latest announcement by the Asim Umar headed Al-Qaeda in the sub-continent has announced the lanch of the Al-Qaeda Shaheen force to be headed by Afinda Ayesha. The announcement was made by Ayman Al-Zawahiri the head of the Al-Qaeda and its sub continent head, Asim Umar.

Raise your children to love jihad:

The message that was sent out by the Shaheen Force was clear that it intended to rope in women into their fold from different countries. Pamphlets that were printed and distributed sent out a strong message which read, " raise your children to love jihad. All Muslim women should die for Jihad as the cause of God will be served.

These pamphlets first emerged in Afghanistan and are being distributed in several places including Pakistan. It is a propaganda material says a senior officer of the intelligence bureau. Whether they would be successful or not is something that we need to see, but the fact is that there is a clamour for women among terrorist groups.

The count is only going up:

As per a claim made by the Tehrik-e-Taliban or the bad Taliban as Pakistan and the US would call them, there are around 500 women who are training to be fidayeen fighters. The outfit has realized the importance of having an all women's force and hence appears to be recruiting more women into their fold.

The ISIS has recently decided to launch a major women's wing. The manner in which the outfit has been seeking the release of Sajida Al Rishwai is a clear indication that they want to use her to head the women's wing.

Sajida was jailed in Jordan after she along her husband had bombed a hotel. While her husband died in that attack she was saved as the bomb strapped round her waist did not go off. She is also the sister of Abu Musab Zarqawi who is close to ISIS chief Abu Bakr Al Bhagdadi.

The Lashkar-e-Tayiba too has two dedicated women's wings namely the Dukhtareen-e-Tayiba and the Daur-e-sofa. Even the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh had a dedicated women's wing which was discovered after the Burdhwan blasts.

Why women matter?

It is said that women bombers have a better success rate. They strike 8 out of ten times because the security checks for women is comparatively lower. Women bombers are comparatively calm and are easier to instruct when compared to the men making them more dedicated.

The women who are normally recruited are those who have lost their children and husbands due to either atrocities or war killings and even drone strikes. Not only is their job to be part of the suicide squad, but they also are told to help in the recruitment process.

In several cases it has been found that women have been used to coax their children to take up arms for the cause of jihad. This sort of recruitment has had a great success rate since children normally listen to their mothers.