COMMENT | The recent Red Fort car blast in New Delhi has not only exposed operational vulnerabilities but also illuminated a worrying new chapter in terrorism: the structured, strategic use of women in extremist organisations.

What was once seen as a male-dominated ecosystem is rapidly evolving into a gender-inclusive machinery in which women are no longer peripheral supporters but embedded operatives, recruiters, and ideological enforcers.

The revelation that a women’s wing played a crucial role in the Red Fort incident underscores how deeply and deliberately terrorist groups are integrating women into their command structure.

The Red Fort attack involved more than the placement of explosives in a public zone. Investigations revealed that women were actively involved in the planning, organisation, and support of the attack.

Dr Shaheen Saeed, a medical doctor, was reportedly tasked with...