On 3 August 2014, ISIS launched a coordinated attack on the Sinjar (Şengal) region in northern Iraq, home to the Yazidi ethno-religious minority. This assault resulted in the mass killing of Yazidi men and the abduction of women and children. The women and girls were taken as captives, forced into slavery, and subjected to violence and abuse, while many boys were forced to fight in ISIS’s ranks.
Recently, the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) announced the liberation of a Yazidi woman from ISIS captivity. Tawaf Dawud Ceto (24) was among those abducted during the initial ISIS assault on Sinjar. She was a child at the time of her capture. Her liberation underscores the ongoing risks faced by Yazidi captives.
According to YPJ statements, Ceto was kidnapped on 3 August 2014. She was intercepted by security forces while attempting to escape near the Syria-Iraq border and later identified as a Yazidi survivor from Til Izêr, a village in Sinjar. Ceto’s experiences are representative of many others who remain missing. Since 2014, various organisations, including the YPJ, have been working to locate and rescue Yazidi women. Lena Hisen, Head of the YPJ Relations Office, stated, “Our units have rescued hundreds of Yazidi women since 2014. Protecting Sinjar and rescuing Yazidi women has been a primary duty for us.”
Several women were also rescued by Kurdish security forces in 2024. Aziza Khaled Ali and two children, including her daughter, were liberated in July from Al-Hol camp while in ISIS captivity.
Rescued women face significant challenges in rebuilding their lives. Organisations such as Yazda, the Free Yazidi Foundation, and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) provide support, including psychological counselling, medical care, and vocational training to aid in their reintegration into society. Despite these efforts, many survivors continue to deal with psychological trauma and societal stigma.
The international community has recognised the atrocities committed against the Yazidis as genocide, with calls for accountability and justice for the victims. Yazidi leaders and public figures have been advocating for global leaders to bring ISIS perpetrators to trial and support the survivors.
