Kurdistan liberates Yazidi woman 11 years after ISIS abduction
Kurdistan Region authorities announced on Thursday the liberation of a 27-year-old Yazidi woman, 11 years after ISIS abducted her in Sinjar district, northern Iraq.
Hussein Qaidi, Head of the Region's Kidnapped Yazidi Rescue Office, confirmed to Shafaq News that the survivor, originally from a residential complex in Sinjar, was kidnapped in 2014 along with four members of her family, noting that three of them were freed in earlier operations, while one remains missing.
Official figures show that 3,591 Yazidis have been rescued from ISIS captivity, while more than 2,500 women and children remain missing.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
an hour ago
- Shafaq News
Car explosion hits central Damascus
Shafaq News / Damascus (updated at 22:42) A car explosion on Saturday rocked al-Mazzeh highway near the Golden Mazzeh Hotel, one of the busiest roads in central Damascus. Syrian security forces later confirmed that the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) planted inside an old, long-abandoned vehicle — a vintage Austin model — parked near the highway. Brigadier General Osama Muhammad Khair Atika, head of internal security in Damascus, said the explosion resulted in no casualties or significant material damage. He added that the bomb appeared to have been placed well in advance, and that the site is being thoroughly examined by specialized units to ensure public safety and rule out any additional threats. Earlier today, a local source told Shafaq News that ambulances were dispatched to the location and security forces had sealed off the vicinity while launching an initial investigation. انفـ ـجـ ـار سيارة بالقرب من فندق غولدن في #المزة — المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان (@syriahr) August 16, 2025
Shafaq News
7 hours ago
- Shafaq News
JOC targets ISIS remnants in Iraq's Saladin and Kirkuk
Shafaq News – Saladin / Kirkuk (Updated at 17:46) The Joint Operations Command (JOC) announced on Saturday that two airstrikes targeted ISIS remnants in Iraq's Saladin and Kirkuk provinces. According to a statement, the first strike, conducted on August 12, hit an ISIS stronghold in Wadi al-Shay, eastern Saladin, following several days of intelligence monitoring. F-16 jets destroyed the hideout and killed several militants inside. A second strike on August 14 targeted another militant location in the Kirkuk operations sector, 'advancing ongoing counterterrorism efforts.'' Later, Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service announced the capture of Salman Khudair Suleiman Dawood, one of the country's most wanted militants for his previous involvement with Al-Qaeda and later with ISIS, in an airborne operation with technical support from the US-led Global Coalition against ISIS. The arrest took place on the border between the Kirkuk and Saladin operations commands, in the Sarhaid Al-Matar area, where authorities seized weapons, communication devices, and other materials. Since the beginning of 2025, the Iraqi security forces have conducted dozens of joint operations against ISIS, killing at least 75 militants and arresting more than 50 others. According to Shafaq News data, based on sources and official statements, the first six months of the year witnessed intensive operations spanning nine provinces against the group's active networks in desert and mountainous areas, particularly in the country's north and west. The JOC confirmed at least 25 coordinated raids. Kirkuk saw the highest number of operations, followed by Saladin, Al-Anbar, Diyala, Baghdad, Maysan, Nineveh, and the Kurdistan Region province of Al-Sulaymaniyah.
Shafaq News
7 hours ago
- Shafaq News
SDF operation ends in northern Syria, ISIS suspects arrested
Shafaq News – Deir ez-Zor On Saturday, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) concluded an operation to pursue ISIS cells in the Deir ez-Zor countryside, northern Syria. According to a statement, the local Military Council, part of the SDF, arrested 12 individuals accused of links to ISIS sleeper cells allegedly plotting attacks against civilians, security forces, and public facilities in the town of Gharanij. The campaign also secured the release of four Council fighters who had been abducted earlier while receiving medical treatment at a health center. The statement stressed that the operation forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen security and stability in eastern Deir ez-Zor, noting that it received backing from local tribes and residents. Deir Ezzor Military Council Concludes Sweep Operation to Pursue ISIS Cells in Gharanij, Eastern Deir Ezzor CountrysideThe Deir Ezzor Military Council forces, in coordination with the Women's Protection Units (YPJ), carried out a wide-scale sweep operation in the town of… — Syrian Democratic Forces (@SDF_Syria) August 16, 2025 Shafaq News correspondent reported that calm returned to Gharanij, adding that the SDF withdrew most of its forces, maintaining several checkpoints around the town while continuing patrols across eastern Deir ez-Zor. Syrian security expert Haitham Atallah told Shafaq News that the latest SDF operations highlight 'a dual security dilemma.' While ISIS remains active in Deir ez-Zor's countryside and poses a genuine threat that justifies preemptive action, 'a heavy-handed approach marked by blockades and arbitrary arrests could backfire by fueling public resentment and creating fertile ground for the group's resurgence.' Arab tribes in the area declared their readiness to intervene 'to break the siege of Gharanij,' accusing the US Global Coalition's silence of serving as a green light for further violations. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) revealed that SDF units carried out a raid in the nearby town of Kashkiya in eastern Deir ez-Zor. An armed man who attempted to flee was shot and wounded before being arrested, but later died of his injuries. SOHR reported that the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor has recently witnessed 'escalating security incidents,' including house raids and arrests, among them the home of a former commander from the Deir ez-Zor Military Council who had defected months earlier. According to the Observatory, mortar fire from areas controlled by the Syrian government on the western bank of the Euphrates also targeted SDF positions. In response, the SDF deployed reinforcements from the al-Omar oil field, sending more than 100 military vehicles and special forces to raid sites suspected of harboring ISIS collaborators. #SOHR — المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان (@syriahr) August 16, 2025
