Latest news with #IslamicCaliphate
Memri
2 days ago
- General
- Memri
Colorado Imam Karim AbuZaid: Many Jews Will Convert When Caliphate Is Established in Jerusalem; They Denied Jesus Kingship, Conspired Against Him, and Caused His 'So-Called Crucifixion,' But Islam Wil
Colorado Islamic scholar Karim AbuZaid said in a May 9, 2025 interview that many Jews would convert to Islam when the Islamic Caliphate is established in Jerusalem. Speaking on the Deen Show, AbuZaid was promoting his book, titled Al-Mahdi, Khilafat Bayt Al-Maqdis: Prophetic Governance and the Restoration of Justice. He said that America and the West were 'complicit in the genocide of innocent people' because 'they know that the seed of Islam is there.' Referring to AbuZaid's book, TV host Eddie Redzovic said: 'for our Christian friends and neighbors… the Caliph king - we believe that this will be Jesus.' AbuZaid concurred, saying that when Jesus came the first time, the Jews 'denied him the kingship,' conspired against him, and caused his 'so-called 'crucifixion',' but that when he comes down again, Islam would make Christ the Caliph king. 'So we are not the enemies [of Christians],' said Redzovic.
News18
13-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Jhang Jihadis Junked: An Endless Saga Of Pakistani 'Maskirovka' Demolished By Operation Sindoor
Last Updated: The path to normalcy is a precursor to peace amidst the "conundrum of deceit & deflection" being created by vested Interests; against the sovereignty & prosperity of our nation! 'Maskirovka' musings of Pakistan have been going on for the last six decades, ever since the conceptualisation of the dream of the 'Islamic Caliphate' by the cunning and clever establishment of Pakistan. The enshrinement of Islamic ideology in the mainstream military and 'awaam' of Pakistan; the latter lured by the bogey of Kashmir and nuclear propaganda, was conceived by General Zia-Ul-Haq through his puppet Brigadier SK Malik who was bestowed with the dishonour of linking the Quran to 'ways to dismember" other religions and cut Bharat too. The anti-humanity blasphemy was printed as 'The Qur'anic Concept of War'; a book which has become the cornerstone and edifice of the barbaric Pakistan Armed Forces too, which somehow gave them religious immunity to behead people and soldiers, maim innocents while firing at them from gunships and using terror as an instrument of statecraft in Pakistan. This indoctrination has been so resolute, effective and widespread within and outside of Pakistan that its tenets have been used by their diplomats to sway perceptions, buy journalists and people of eminence and make inroads into governance and military structures in other target countries and eventually degrade their societal strength. To add to the devil's powers, the Middle East in large parts and the USA have been aiding Pakistan. Some Middle Eastern countries have given an enormous amount of money to Pakistan; more from the point of creating an Islamic Caliphate and Pakistan being sort of one of the chosen ones as it spun the Kashmir narrative into a religious and ideological motive. The USA, on the other hand, saw Pakistan as a pawn against the Soviet Union in its fight to control Afghanistan and reaches around it and accordingly gave many grants on many pretexts, including from global organisations which it tacitly controlled, while knowing well down the line that Pakistan was misusing it for a sustained ideological war and creating capabilities of terrorism against Bharat. Since Bharat was clearly defined as a friend of the Soviet Union during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, the USA never saw Bharat as a probable ally then, while friendly overtures were made in some matters and spheres. The UK too through time, got consumed by Pakistan 'witchcraft' and today stands exposed as it is now turning into an Islamic Hell; gradually and yet seemingly surely, unless they wake up and smell the coffee and stop seeing Pakistani citizens as cheap labour and workforce and understand the intent of the Islamist radicals. The art of deception became more obvious and pungent, as they convinced many countries in the West and Europe to showcase themselves as innocent and Bharat as an aggressor; much since perception warfare was unknown to Bharat, and it also wasn't a match to stories and narratives driven by the West and Europe. Pakistan made inroads into think tanks, global organisations, foreign governments and more and that coupled with the perennial support of China and backing of the USA, solidified its venomous narratives against the interests of Bharat. Advantage Pakistan All Along till Operation 'Sindoor' Right from the initiation of war with Pre-emptive Strikes against a stronger Country like Bharat and then running to allies, the West and the United Nations to accrue a Ceasefire to boasting with a 'Notion of Victory' even after being vanquished without doubt, Pakistan has effectively used Deception, Propaganda and tenets of 'the Qur'anic Concept of War' right through each situation and with good effect, with eulogies of their success and wins being printed and spoken by media that they cultivated and bought out and also influenced with help of the West. The key advantages that 'Puny Pakistan' has been able to gain over the years, against National Interests of India, till recently, have been as follows: – A. Prepare a base through its operatives and Embassy Staff and buy out journalists, politicians, personalities of eminence and even the security apparatus. Seemingly, right through the early days, they were supported and even compensated with some 'Jaichands' within India and that included some from the political class who enjoyed Cocktail Circuit opulence courtesy of the Wine, Women and Wealth offered by Pakistan and its agents. B. Plan and execute the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits, with local Islamist Radicals and even government machinery which played a tacit role and did not thwart such a nefarious design. C. Carry out Infiltration and establish the OGWs Network, with the support of Indoctrinated locals and officials. D. Conduct terror attacks and negate punitive actions through backdoor channels and paid stooges in government offices in India. E. Openly have channels of illegal trade and in the process benefitting the caretakers in India. F. Prop up local leaders, some of whom eventually established themselves as elected leaders as well. G. In cahoots with traitors within India, be able to adversely affect the economy and geopolitical growth of India. In doing so then even got access to wherewithal to print counterfeit which was as good as actuals; till such time Demonetisation was done by Bharat. H. Through cultivated assets, they have been able to make the cases against themselves seem weak, each time the Government of Bharat tried to seek legal recourse through international bodies and organisations. J. Return of Prisoners of War (PsOW) and especially post-1971 War, where they duped a willing Indian Leadership to not only give back PsOW while they did not return PsOW taken by themselves, they also were able to take back Key Terrain, captured by India and then enter into the Shimla Agreement which has left many thorns along the Line of Control (LC) to take care of today; where the Pakistan Army has dominating positions; a case in point being Hajipir Pass, near Uri, where we had a terrorist attack in the last decade. K. Retain 'Nuclear Bogey' over decades and behind that 'Shield of Blackmail' being able to promote Terrorism as Statecraft and attempt to achieve Parity with India. L. Use the 'Favours of the USA" to build relations with China and create a wedge between other known powers and India. Pakistan eventually gave away its economy to China in trade for support during the war with India; something which could eventually be futile as well; given the emerging geopolitical scenarios. M. Nearly with a free-hand, as if the Indian side had allowed such blatant actions, carry out the shelling of civilian areas near Jammu, Akhnoor etc and also target Indian Army posts routinely with cases of beheading of Indian soldiers along the LC being undertaken till before 2014 when a new Government was formed in Bharat. N. Manage to restrict the punitive actions of the Indian Armed Forces through deceptive diplomacy and putting pressure on their 'Assets in India'. Some of the above have been also due to weak leadership and lack of vision therein of Political Leadership and Bureaucracy of India, which got sold out to propaganda, lure and mostly due to extraneous considerations as well which lingered due to their vested interests and Pakistan obliged through its 'Illicit Networks'. Pahalgam and Beyond: Pakistani 'MASKIROVKA' Losing Sheen The terrorist attack at Pahalgam was duly orchestrated by Pakistan, soon after the rant of General Asim Munir at a gathering in Pakistan where he exhorted Islamic Radicalism. In sync with that 'Ideological Rant' from a Pakistan Military leader, the Pahalgam Terrorist Attack was surgical against non-Muslim tourists, including some foreign nationals. The core of 'The Qur'anic Concept of War' was executed with a view to imposing terror, hampering global tourism and the economy of Jammu and Kashmir and above all a feeble attempt to question the Abrogation of Article 370. Post this dastardly attack on unsuspecting innocents at Pahalgam, Pakistan for the first time, did not even shed any crocodile tears. A terrorist group from Pakistan staked claim and later discerning the intent of Bharat, withdrew that claim stating that their account was hacked. If the series of faux pas was not over, a Minister from Pakistan, in an interview with a foreign channel from the West, stated that Pakistan was abetting terrorism and grooming terrorists on its soil and as if with a tone of blackmail mentioned they did so for other Western Powers; implying the USA and UK; with maybe an eye towards China as well and hope that these countries will fall in line with the narrative being planned by Pakistan. Once the Punitive Strikes were launched by Bharat, in retaliation to strikes by Pakistan on civilians and military bases, the Pakistani Air Force spokesperson bloated about how they had carried out the Pulwama Attack. Also, in another turn of events, Pakistan Army high-ranking officials, civil administration and others attended the funeral of terrorists who were eliminated in strikes by Bharat on their Terror Camps and Headquarters, including in Pakistan for the first time, at Muridke, Sialkot and Bahawalpur. And thus, the infallible 'Perception Management Network' began to crumble rather fast, with Bharat adding to the Dossier of Pakistan's involvement in promoting Terrorism. Pakistan has always remained in denial of the death of its soldiers like one witnessed in the Kargil War, destruction of assets like we observed post-Balakot Strike by the Indian Air Force when Pakistan said 'some crows were hit' or, words to that effect. However, the zeal to claim a 'Notion of Victory' has always remained high and even after strikes by the Indian Armed Forces recently, their Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif actually declared victory in the war; while none was on and also profusely thanked the USA with a hope that Team Trump will accept them again as a vassal state and fund and arm them too. High hopes but 'Umeed par Duniya Kayam Hai' for Pakistan; a country which has fast run itself into an Abyss of Terrorism and Economic Crisis. Recently when a Pakistan Minister went for an interview with a western channel and bragged about Pakistan destroying aircraft and assets of the Indian Air Force, the Minister fumbled, as he had lied and eventually said he had made claims based on social media posts. While it sounded bizarre, the lies stemmed from the need to appease the naive 'Awaam' of Pakistan but then it totally backfired and today the 'Awaam' of Pakistan is questioning the Leadership, while General Asim Munir hides in a Bunker; fearing Missiles from Bharat and Murderers within Pakistan who might be looking for him. It will be prudent to summarise that the Pakistan Military and its Polity has lost ground within and outside Pakistan with questions being raised on their intent, actions and propaganda. This truly is the 'Turning of the Tables' in Perception Warfare and an opportune time for Bharat to Step Up and claim the Pole Position for the future, especially when it is superior in all aspects of National Power and certainly doesn't want to be considered at parity with the failed-state Pakistan. The Divinity and Depth of Operation 'SINDOOR': Change of Perception Baton Operation 'SINDOOR' coupled with the accurate Post Strike Damage Assessment (PSDA) and Press Briefings has brought out the 'Chanakya Alive' moment in Bharat and it seems that Bharat is willing to Step Up the Perception Warfare and usher in its own 'MASKIROVKA' Era. The ability of the Government Departments, visibility of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), 'Perception Push' by our Military with its sets of Press Briefings scaled up by the DGMO and colleagues from IAF and IN, positive posts and negating fakes by social media influencers as our citizens, diaspora and friends of Bharat etc have all brought together an 'involuntary bond' which could shape the Perception Battles for Bharat hereon with more energy and accuracy. The maturity of handling the Pahalgam Crisis, taking time to deliver an appropriate response, reacting initially as Pakistan stepped up the Escalation Ladder and then with swiftness seizing an opportunity to strike at Airbases and military installations in Pakistan has made Bharat feel good about its own accomplishment and has made it look Bolder, Bigger and Better to the World, as Pakistan is about to lose its stand for parity with Bharat. Effective handling of media with openness and ability to negate 'All Propaganda' without exception, which was hurled by Pakistan and allped up by its lapdogs across the globe, has made Bharat look very positive to the World at large. The messaging by our Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji in his Address to the Nation on 12 May 2025, laid out some strict guidelines and an echoing warning to Pakistan and this 'Stern Delivery' seems to carry more weight than the Nuclear Arsenal of Pakistan and something which the World will take note of too. During this Operation 'SINDOOR' Bharat has 'Seized the Initiative' and is now poised to curate the Narratives for and in the Future. The gains accrued to Bharat due to the ongoing Operation 'SINDOOR' can be summarised as follows: – A. Shedding and reiterating that 'No First Use' in the nuclear domain is not applicable as a self-imposed restraint for Bharat, now compels Pakistan to rethink the Escalation Ladder, especially when Bharat has struck 11 Airbases and Installations in Pakistan with impunity and that too without crossing the IB or, LC. B. Equating 'Proxy War' and 'Terror Attack' to an 'Act of War' sends a distinct warning to Pakistan and is a veiled caution for any country that abets Pakistan in its endeavour to carry out terror attacks against Bharat. This allows the retention of initiative by Bharat and provides an avenue to build up momentum in actions at will. C. Bharat will be able to dictate conditions and rules for engagement by setting into motion those actions directly and without referring to the world and certainly with no clue to Pakistan. This would keep Pakistan under a leash till such time it doesn't want to seek destruction itself at the hands of Bharat. D. The margin for Error; both in Actions and Perception for Pakistan had drastically reduced and its 'Awaam' has become more aware of the post-ongoing Operations being launched and PSDA Briefs being aired across the globe. E. The actions of the Armed Forces of Bharat, public voicing of facts and opinion by Team Bharat with MEA leading it to differentiate between Partners and Preachers and the stern messaging by the Prime Minister of Bharat; all have collectively put out a caution amidst those who were fence-sitters in matters pertaining to Pakistan and Bharat and some who had the urge to abstain in global forums to promote funding and favours to Pakistan. F. This Operation which has been carried out professionally and enabled Diplomacy to gain weight, supported the geopolitical narrative of Bharat and infused fear in Pakistan, will also benefit the Armed Forces as public memory gets etched with the positives of their efforts and hopefully, this will bring back focus not only on equipping and paying the Armed Forces better but also bringing in parity between Armed Forces and other Services; especially when the Political Will of Bharat has been reinforced and solidified due to Military actions. The National Outlook towards Armed Forces will gain more positivity and strength. G. The nomenclature and its defining by the Prime Minister carry a bigger message for the citizens and diaspora themselves in Bharat and the emergence of a tolerant 'Sanatan Dharma' is gaining momentum and acceptance as part of reviving the Civilizational Roots of our Bharat. Retaining the 'MASKIROVKA' Edge Gained with Operation 'SINDOOR' Momentum It will take more than raising a few pertinent points that are entwined with the future of Bharat. Let's simply list the action points and ponder later to dissect each one of them over conversations across multiple platforms of new media: – A. Curate a long-term Succession Plan for Leadership at the Political level, as feasible. The grooming and rise should be commensurate with the Succession Plan for long-lasting effects. B. Interaction of Political Leadership along with Bureaucracy with the Indian Armed Forces during Corps and Command Wargames so that we together 'Own Plans' and plan better for their execution promptly and with the least back and forth. C. Better Leadership Selection Process for Armed Forces. The weaknesses need to be identified, and surgical actions must ensue to revive the morale and professional strength. D. Increasing War Wastage Reserves (WWR) from 15 days to 30 to 60 days; depending on the criticality of military hardware and dependency on global supply chains. The reduction of WWR to 15 days has not been commensurate with our capabilities and far many lacunae need to be ironed out for now. This will bring in more confidence in Bharat, its Polity and Military. E. Parity of Armed Forces with other Services to bring in better synergy and speed in actions. Hierarchical hindrances in the effective Civil-Military domain must be removed and that takes political will. The benefits of levelling fairly will support Operations and Missions in the future. F. Effective use of its Diaspora and Business Leaders across the Planet. A Pool of such people with leadership to manage and ensure the propagation of information through Podcasts, social media conversations, Webinars etc is planned for and executed well. G. Empower our Embassies and Consulates to enhance Awareness and engage in true Perception Management at all levels including society. H. An effective and empowered 'Cyber Warrior' Team to assist with identifying Fake and Deep Fake and counter-measures. I. Get Citizens involved in more conversations and actions for improving National Security. The MyGov App should be used for such delicate conversations and seeking ideas. J. Just like we had experimented with Joint Secretaries from the Private Sector, the same needs to be done for many aspects connected directly and indirectly to Perception Management. K. Creating a selection of effective, fluent and nationalist Veterans from Armed Forces, amongst Diplomats, Police, Government, Media, Polity and eminent Citizens who could be trusted with information, and they are capable to influence positively even in adverse situations. L. Enhance the role and scope of engagement for mainstream Media Agencies with some supervision of experts as needed, especially during military operations and critical national security threats. Also, similarly blunt and block anti-national narrative spinners. M. Focus on education system reforms such that the next generations are more aware of history, aspects of national security and perceptions as they shape economies, militaries, diplomacy and nearly everything where two or more countries interact. While the name 'MASKIROVKA' suggests deception, Bharat needs to build factual narratives that build trust and loyalty with friendly countries and bring about a larger consortium which pledges to fight terrorism and, in the process, either tames or, punishes Pakistan and as a partner of Bharat. Curating a 'MASKIROVKA' might seem simple, while retaining the edge and retaining the momentum will always be a challenge in the information age, when one wrong move, even by a miscreant or, loose cannon, can bring down the national narrative and stand. Let's be positive that Bharat will curate and implement such moves that define Operation 'SINDOOR' as not only a win, of our holistic national power, seized by our Armed Forces but also an edifice to build on in future, so that the construct remains beyond comprehension and reach of our adversaries. JAI HIND! Read about ceasefire here, as Pakistan is likely to wink this season itself due to internal pressures and its innate desire to hit back for abrogation of Article 370 by Bharat and in consonance with its unfulfilled and lame wish to usurp Kashmir, while it itself stands a chance to loose PoK sooner than later amidst uprisings within Pakistan and with the freedom struggle of Balochistan against its tyranny. top videos View all Pakistanis must look within and discard their polity & military that befools them and feeds them the myth of Kashmir as fodder and sends some of them on infamous Route72, while the rest stay in poverty. Colonel Rohit Dev, a 2nd Generation Army Officer, is an Adjunct Professor at the Rashtriya Raksha University, a geopolitical analyst and a primetime TV personality. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. tags : Operation Sindoor Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: May 13, 2025, 10:51 IST News opinion OPINION | Jhang Jihadis Junked: An Endless Saga Of Pakistani 'Maskirovka' Demolished By Operation Sindoor
Sky News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
From the start this was different. Each war has its own fingerprint, its own bloody DNA of violence, brutality and horror. But the persecution of the Yazidis, including the buying and selling of women and girls, is a particular horror that has influenced my reporting, and recognition of similar evils, ever since. Alex Crawford, Sky News special correspondent
By Alex Crawford, Sky News special correspondent War has become my business. Four decades of being a journalist and that is not a statement I ever wanted, or thought, I'd say. I take zero pleasure in it. I used to think uncharitably of those (often wizened) reporters who used to list their 'wars' and tot them up like prizes. Covering war in hostile environments is not a job any sane person should aspire to – and yet, here I am. It feels more like an accident than an intentional career path. I first met the Yazidi women taken captive by the Islamic State in 2014. My team and I were reporting on the extremist group's takeover of vast swathes of Iraq and Syria. The world watched in horror as tens of thousands of families from the ancient ethno-religious group fled their homes to shelter on nearby Mount Sinjar. They were quickly encircled by the extremists who mounted a siege which went on for months (August to December 2014). The Iraqi government appealed for help and an international coalition led by the US dropped water and supplies to the besieged Yazidis as ISIS fighters tried to shoot down all rescue attempts. The image of terrified mothers handing their babies to total strangers on helicopters just to ensure they could make it out alive is an image which is difficult to forget. More images of horror, helplessness, and sheer terror were to emerge over the next few years. ISIS slaughtered aid workers. Beheaded journalists. Burned their captives alive. But they seemed to have a particular hatred of Yazidis – and an unbridled abhorrence for their women and girls. A few weeks later, I was sitting in a crowded tent with groups of young Yazidi women listening to them recount what they experienced during their enslavement. It's still seared in my mind. They spoke of rape, beatings and being treated worse than animals. One described how she was sold for the equivalent of a few dollars and raped by multiple ISIS fighters, but she only broke down when describing how her young children were also abused. I didn't know then but it was a tale of torture I was to hear repeatedly over the following decade. This was the personification of evil. ISIS sold the dream of an Islamic Caliphate to tens of thousands of followers around the world, drawing supporters from 200 countries. They did this partly by grooming recruits on the internet through a range of social media platforms. At their height they ruled over 11 million people. But the reality was different. Those who fled the regime told reporters they were duped. ISIS's rule was brutal. When my team entered defeated ISIS towns like Al Shadadi in northeast Syria, we found remnants of their reign of terror: scaffolding erected for public executions, underground bunkers in backyards and booby-traps in doorways. Evidence of the crimes against the Yazidi women and girls were there too; the public markets where girls were traded, and documents containing copious details, from the number of slaves bought to their shoe sizes. The extremists also raised their flag over oil fields and instigated a brutal system of taxation, which placed additional charges on non-Muslims. Those who couldn't pay were threatened with violence, imprisonment, or death. The rise of ISIS may have seemed meteoric, but the group - which began as an extremist faction within al Qaeda - had been building their power base for years. Disavowed by al Qaeda in early 2014, ISIS, or Daesh as it became known colloquially, went on to out-manoeuvre al Qaeda — turning terror into a lucrative military machine. At their peak, the group was responsible for orchestrating or inspiring terror attacks around the world in cities such as Paris (2015), and Brussels and Orlando (both 2016) to name but a few. Western governments became increasingly alarmed as their nationals were recruited to either help fight jihad in the self-declared caliphate or mount attacks in multiple countries. Meanwhile in large swathes of Iraq and Syria, whole communities were terrorised. Everyone who didn't agree with their strict interpretation of sharia law were targets but they reserved particular hatred for the Yazidis. THE CALIPHATE Islamic State militants in Tel Abyad, northeast Syria in 2016. Pic: AP In the village of Kocho, ISIS embarked on a killing frenzy, slaughtering hundreds of people in a single day and burying them in mass graves. It's one of more than 80 villages dotted around the base of the 100km-long mountain range that is Mount Sinjar in Iraq. Entering Kocho now is like stepping back in time. The buildings which were once family homes, are in ruins. Personal belongings lie among the rubble – shoes, pans and picture frames, the remnants of lives torn apart in an instant. Back in 2014, the tens of thousands who lived in the region found themselves in the way of the extremists' ambitions for a caliphate. The villages around Mount Sinjar stood in the path of their plans to join up Mosul in Iraq - which ISIS had seized two months earlier – and Raqqa, the group's headquarters in Syria. By seizing all the territory in-between, the extremists planned to establish a sizeable empire. The Sinjar region had a range of different ethnic and religious groups living together in the area including Christians, Sunni and Shia Arabs but it was also home to the world's largest group of Yazidis. The Yazidis have been persecuted for their beliefs through the centuries after being wrongly denounced as devil worshippers by some medieval Muslim scholars. This latest attack by ISIS is the closest the ethnic group has come to being fully erased. The survivors talk of the jihadis separating them into groups. Men were rounded up, taken outside the villages and shot. One man told me he survived by lying unnoticed under a pile of about 60 dead bodies. Older women seemed to have suffered a similar fate with many still missing. Some of the survivors spoke of being given the option of converting to Islam but few agreed. Young boys were groomed to be killers in ISIS training camps. While the young women and girls were destined to become sex slaves. Kovan was only 14 and had yet to get her period when she was captured by ISIS. "I was raped every day for years," she says. "How can they do that to a child?" Her anger is also aimed at the ISIS wives. "They knew exactly what their men were doing," she says. "They used to prepare me to be raped by their husbands. They'd put lipstick on me, do my hair and make me wear revealing clothes." The battle for Mosul was fraught with danger. Snipers seemed to be hiding on every rooftop. Once, three suicide car bombs detonated within half an hour, a few dozen metres from us. I remember running frantically with my team as a vehicle was spotted driving through the alleyways towards us. The air was thick with dust as we ducked into an abandoned home. The deafening boom of an explosion followed. The force of the blast sent soldiers' hats flying and pushed them into doorways. ISIS took control of Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, in June 2014. They bedded in, building tunnels and barricades across the city. It took nine long months for the US-led coalition to dislodge them, with nearly a million people forced to flee their homes. "They have destroyed everything of ours," a man said as he fled, clutching a child in one hand and a bag of belongings in the other. In the streets you could see mines and unexploded bombs – and amid all this mayhem, there were Yazidis too, many of them dragged along with the retreating ISIS fighters and families. MEET THE DETECTIVES The Yazidi 'detectives' are two men on a mission – to find the members of their community taken by ISIS more than a decade ago. They embody the survival spirit of this ethnic minority, as well as the desperation of the families searching for their loved ones. Adeeb is based in Iraq, while Barjes lives in a large refugee area in northeast Syria. When we first met Barjes, he was jobless and working out of his tent. Adeeb was switching between his living room and car. They use burner phones, create fake personas, and track down those who've disappeared through painstaking digging and a little subterfuge. Barjes tells us he's developed a network of spies inside the camps in northeast Syria which are filled with ISIS families and affiliates. They inform him of Yazidi captives or those suspected of being Yazidi. He then attempts to gain their trust by chatting to them on the phone and taking pictures which he cross checks with their relatives. It's been so long, their relatives often only recognise them through birthmarks or scars. Adeeb shows us a huge spread of pictures he's collated from the relatives of the missing Yazidis, many were only toddlers or teens when taken. More than 2,000 people are still missing, believed to be alive. They've had many successes – Kovan is one of them. She was found more than a decade after being taken, and was at first too frightened to identify herself as Yazidi. Like other Yazidi women in her situation, Kovan faced a stark choice once she was rescued; returning home meant leaving behind the two children she had while in captivity. The Yazidi community struggles to accept the offspring of ISIS fighters, who are legally designated as Muslims, after the brutality they suffered. They also fear that ISIS relatives will come and claim the children as theirs. Human rights experts writing in Just Security, an American-based digital law and policy journal, described ISIS's use of rape as a weapon of war. "The capture, confinement, rape and impregnation of Yazidi women and girls were not just tactics of war, but central to ISIS's strategy to destroy the Yazidi people and erase their identity for future generations." The ISIS tented camps in northeast Syria, home to tens of thousands of people, are surrounded by barbed wire, fences and armed guards. There's little electricity or running water in either Al Hol or the smaller camp Al Roy. Some inhabitants have been here for six years since being rounded up in 2019 when the coalition troops retook the last bit of territory held by ISIS. Among the crowds of mostly women and children kept here, there are believed to be an unknown number of Yazidis still held as sex slaves. The mainly Kurdish-led forces who run the camps organise regular raids and their focus is two-fold: to hunt down hidden weapons and hidden women. When they find women they suspect of being Yazidi they whisk them away in armed vehicles to interrogate them away from the camp. Only when their identities can be confirmed are they connected with Yazidi organisations who can help with their rehabilitation. ISIS groups in the camps go to lengths to hold on to their captives, hiding them in tunnels or moving them to other hiding places. The Yazidi 'detectives' often pose as ISIS men on the outside to secure the trust of the captives inside the camps. Their information can lead the troops to the exact tent – but often the women are nowhere to be found by the time the troops get there. Many of the girls and women emerge from captivity unable to remember their Kurdish mother tongue after being forced to speak Arabic during their enslavement. They're taken first to safehouses where they're given time to get used to freedom. Nalin Darwish Rasho runs a safe house for the Yazidi House Foundation. "Often we are the first people they've been able to trust for years," Nalin says. The rural calm of the safehouse helps with the healing but the scars these survivors carry will never heal. TRACING THE DISAPPEARED It was March 2019, and we were about a kilometre away from Baghouz with the coalition troops breathing down the necks of ISIS. Women clad in burqas scurried around holding children while men in black whizzed around on motorbikes. This was the extremists' last stand. A humanitarian corridor was created to allow ISIS to send out their families. To the astonishment of the watching media, thousands of people streamed out. Wounded men were interrogated and taken to multiple prisons in northeast Syria, where many of those accused of being ISIS fighters – many of them foreigners including Britons - still are. Those we spoke to had never seen lawyers or been allowed to speak to their families. Among the large crowd of humanity pouring out of Baghouz, there were also Yazidis. But at that time, the focus was firmly on defeating ISIS. The tracing of mass graves of their victims began a few years before the last bit of ISIS territory was recaptured. But there were considerable challenges from the off: the victims were spread across two countries, both coping with the aftermath of huge battles and billions of dollars' worth of war destruction. Syria was still in the throes of civil war. In 2017, the Iraqi authorities asked for help from the UN in tracking down the victims with a view to holding to account those responsible for war crimes and genocide. UNITAD was formed – a special UN investigative team that was given a budget of about $22m per year. Within a few years, UNITAD and the Iraqi authorities had identified more than 200 mass graves in Iraq, but the UN also documented multiple challenges in identifying the remains as well as locating living relatives. It continues to be a monumental task. The Iraqi authorities pointed out that they needed financial help and support from the international community to complete such a big task. They also accused UNITAD of withholding evidence and being non-co-operative. There were clear differences in approach and co-ordination between the UNITAD team and the Iraqi authorities. "UNITAD's insistence on strict conditions for evidence sharing with Iraqi authorities ostensibly designed to uphold international standards — including the requirement that Iraq abolish the death penalty and ensure fair trials — have proven an insurmountable hurdle for the Iraqi legal system." Alaanah Travers, writing for the Washington Institute In 2024, the Iraqi government decided not to extend the mandate of the UN investigation's team. After seven years of investigations, there were just a handful of prosecutions for crimes against humanity and genocide – mostly in Germany and Portugal – and none in Iraq. During this period, the Iraqi authorities have continued to execute former ISIS fighters for the crime of belonging to a terror group, which has frustrated international human rights lawyers who fear that key perpetrators who could provide evidence in war crimes and genocide trials, are being killed without due process. For many of the survivors, it has been a bitter blow. They feel disillusioned with both the Iraqi justice system and the lack of substantial progress by UNITAD. They complain vociferously about the lack of effort as they see it, to track down the missing or identify the dead. To many it feels like they have been left in limbo – with no answers and in many cases no corpses to bury and mourn. Villages like Kocho lie empty and eerily silent; a testament to how little progress has been made in achieving justice for those who suffered so much. It took nearly a decade for the world to officially recognise what ISIS did to the Yazidis as genocide. Germany is one of the only ones to prosecute those who took part in it. By August 2023, the UK government had joined the growing list of countries. "The Yazidi population suffered immensely at the hands of Daesh, nine years ago and the repercussions are still felt to this day. Justice and accountability are key for those whose lives have been devastated." Lord Ahmad, then minister of state for the Middle East There are few images of what went on inside the Islamic State self-declared caliphate because they banned the use of cameras and mobile phones – we've got just glimpses of executions, propaganda videos of beheadings and burnings. But we have the survivors' testimonies, and they have proved vital. It's hard to explain why the plight of the Yazidis has resonated so much - except to say why wouldn't a decade's-long persecution of a people by one of the world's most evil, fanatical extremist groups, resonate with every human? More than a decade on, the Yazidi people are still awaiting justice. They're fighting to ensure the world does not forget what ISIS did – and what the world did not do at the time. 10 Years Of Darkness: ISIS And The Yazidis is on Sky Documentaries on Friday 2 May at 8pm and then Sky News at 9pm, also on Sky News YouTube at 9pm. CREDITS Reporting: Alex Crawford, special correspondent Production: Chris Cunningham, senior specialist producer Shorthand production: Michael Drummond, foreign news reporter Editing: Serena Kutchinsky, assistant editor Design: Giorgio Tonello Pictures: Reuters, Associated Press, Chris Cunningham Documentary Producer / Director: Jake Lea-Wilson Documentary Editor: Katie Child Location Producers: Fazel Hawramy, Fahad Fattah, Zein Ja'far Commissioning Editor: Sarah Whitehead Executive Producer: Jonathan Levy Top Built with Shorthand
Hans India
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Jharkhand ATS nabs Indian Mujahideen operative from Dhanbad, uncovers Hizb ut Tahrir links
Ranchi: The Jharkhand Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a suspected terrorist from the Bhuli area in Dhanbad district, officials said on Thursday. According to officials, the suspected terrorist, identified as Amaar Yasar, was earlier linked to the banned outfit Indian Mujahideen and had recently become active in anti-national activities under the banner of another proscribed organisation, Hizb ut Tahrir. Jharkhand Director General of Police Anurag Gupta said: "Amaar Yasar was arrested from Jodhpur, Rajasthan, in 2014 for his involvement with Indian Mujahideen. After securing bail, he resumed subversive activities and joined Hizb ut Tahrir in May 2024. He has three cases registered against him in Jaipur and Jodhpur related to terror activities and is currently being interrogated." The arrest comes just days after the Jharkhand ATS apprehended four individuals linked to Hizb ut Tahrir in coordinated raids across Wasseypur and other parts of Dhanbad. Those arrested include Gulfam Hass of Wasseypur, Aayan Javed from Azad Nagar Aman Society, his wife Shabnam Parveen of Shamsher Nagar, and Mohammad Shahzad Alam. During the raids, ATS recovered two pistols, 12 rounds of ammunition, extremist literature, documents associated with banned outfits, and over half a dozen mobile phones and laptops. Investigations revealed that the group was working to establish a separate module aimed at expanding the terror network in the region. Sources in the ATS say the suspects were motivated by Hizb ut Tahrir's radical ideology, which calls for the establishment of a global Islamic Caliphate. The organisation, founded in Jerusalem in 1953, was banned by the Indian government in 2010 due to its extremist agenda and efforts to undermine national security. The ATS is continuing its investigation and has launched a manhunt for others believed to be part of the same network.
Al Bawaba
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
War without end? Netanyahu's speech sparks political backlash
Published April 21st, 2025 - 06:58 GMT ALBAWABA - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent speech, in which he reiterated the attack on Gaza, has drawn harsh criticism from Israeli political and military specialists. The remark was seen by analysts as an implied acknowledgment of strategic failure and a hint that Netanyahu could be putting political survival ahead of the safe release of Israeli captives. The speech, according to military expert Nir Dvori (Channel 12), was a defensive tactic meant to maintain Netanyahu's reputation. He pointed out that in face of growing popular criticism, the prime minister seemed to defend the current crisis and his decision to forgo a prisoner exchange with Hamas. Dvori cautioned about the massive reserve mobilization and burden on national resources that would result from extending the war. He underlined that despite military pressure, Hamas is still stubborn and unlikely to give down. Netanyahu's statement, according to Lior Keinan of Channel 13, was intended to strengthen his electoral base in the face of declining polling and growing criticism over the hostage situation. The speech was referred to as "a confession of defeat" by veteran IDF commander Noam Tibon, who accused Netanyahu of deceiving the people and siding with far-right ministers in order to maintain his position. I just listened to Netanyahu's speech, he is not worried about Israel from Egypt, Jordan, Syria… (the so called Arab countries) The only thing that would threaten Israel according to him is 'Islamic Caliphate' that unites those states and that's what we must do! — Omar Bin Mohammad (@OmarBinMohmd) April 21, 2025 Ben Caspit, a political analyst, pointed out contradictions in Netanyahu's story, pointing out that he had previously agreed to deals with Hamas. According to Israel Hayom's Amir Ettinger, the prime minister is trying to defend a fresh military operation even if there isn't a clear route to success after 18 months of fighting. The lack of a post-war plan was attacked by some commentators, including as Ohad Hemo and Moria Wollberg, who warned of an ongoing, interminable battle. Eyal Berkovic, an analyst, summed up the general sentiment by asking if a government that is becoming more and more detached from reality is guiding the Israeli people into an unending conflict. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
