Iraq sentences ISIS leader’s Wife to death for crimes against Yazidis

In a landmark ruling, an Iraqi court has sentenced to death Asma Mohammed, one of the wives of the deceased Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The sentence was handed down for her involvement in the atrocities committed against the Yazidi religious minority, as confirmed by Iraq’s judiciary on Wednesday.

In 2014, ISIS fighters overran the Sinjar region of northern Iraq, the ancestral home of the Yazidis, during their campaign that saw them capture about a third of Iraq and vast territories in neighboring Syria. This onslaught led to the killing of over 10,000 Yazidis and the abduction of approximately 6,000 others. The United Nations has classified these actions as genocide, although bringing the perpetrators to justice has proven challenging.

The Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq announced that one of al-Baghdadi’s wives was found guilty of collaborating with ISIS to kidnap and detain Yazidi women. While the council did not disclose the woman’s name, reports by The Associated Press identified her as Asma Mohammed. She had been transferred to Iraqi custody following her capture by Turkish forces.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the notorious leader of ISIS, met his end in 2019 when he detonated a suicide vest during a raid by United States Special Operations forces in a northwestern Syrian tunnel. His death marked a significant blow to the terrorist organization, although the remnants of ISIS continue to pose security threats.

The atrocities committed against the Yazidis included the systematic sexual enslavement of women and girls. ISIS fighters subjected them to repeated sexual violence, a horror that has left deep scars on the community. Al-Baghdadi himself was implicated in holding sexual slaves, including Kayla Mueller, a 26-year-old American humanitarian worker who was subsequently killed.

This death sentence against Asma Mohammed represents a significant moment in the ongoing quest for justice for the Yazidi people. It underscores the persistent efforts by Iraqi authorities to hold ISIS members accountable for their heinous crimes and offers a measure of solace to the survivors of these brutal acts.