ISIS gangs who invaded Raqqa for a long time put the region’s civilian population through their darkest times in history. One of the citizens victimized in the gangs’ inhumane and immoral attacks was 35 year old Xelef Ebêd Nezal.

During their invasion, ISIS gangs captured Xelef on allegations of “apostasy” and held him in prison for 6 months. Xelef was later convicted and consequently beheaded.

Xelef’s 4 children and wife Ayişe were left behind, and now live in the village of Ayişa’s brother Yasir Derwîş, who said Xelef used to work like everybody else to make a living and had no affiliations with any political or military organization. Derwîş took his sister and her children in after the family went through the pain of Xelef’s loss. Now they live together.

During the 6 months Xelef was imprisoned, he wasn’t allowed to see his wife and none of the family’s attempts worked to get any information, said Derwîş and continued: “For months, we didn’t even know if he was alive or not, but we waited for his return, hoping against hope. But 6 months later we heard the terrible news.”

Xelef’s family doesn’t even know where the body is buried.