A 21-year-old Yazidi woman who was kidnapped by Islamic State fighters in Iraq in 2014 has been rescued from Gaza in a secret operation involving Iraq, Israel, Jordan, and the United States. The woman, who was taken at the age of 11 and trafficked into Gaza, was freed after more than four months of efforts. The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs praised the cooperation between the US and Jordan in the rescue mission.
The US State Department confirmed that they helped evacuate the young woman from Gaza and reunite her with her family in Iraq after her captor in Gaza was killed, allowing her to escape. The US military did not have a role in the evacuation, but worked with partners in the region to ensure her safe return home.
The Israeli military also played a role in the woman’s rescue, stating that she was rescued in a secret mission from Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing. She then continued to Jordan and returned to her family in Iraq. The young woman was reported to be in good physical condition but traumatized by her time in captivity and the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The Yazidis, a religious minority group in Iraq and Syria, were targeted by ISIL and faced a campaign of violence that killed thousands and resulted in the kidnapping and abuse of many women. The United Nations has described ISIL’s actions against the Yazidis as genocide, leading to the displacement of thousands of Yazidis who fled to Europe, the US, Australia, and Canada.
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