Yazidi women Ezîza Elî and Tawaf Çeto, who were abducted by ISIS from Shengal ten years ago and were rescued by YPJ last week, talked about their abduction and the crimes committed by ISIS against them.
Two Yazidi women and a girl who had been kidnapped by ISIS in Shengal on 3 August 2014 were rescued by the YPJ in the Hol Camp in the Cizire region of northeastern Syria last week. According to the YPJ, Ezîze Xalid Elî was rescued in Hol Camp and Tawaf Dawûd Çeto was rescued on the Syrian-Iraqi border while trying to save herself from the gangs. In addition, a Yazidi child named Xunav, who grew up with Ezîze Xalid Elî, was rescued together with two Yazidi women.
The two Yazidi women, Ezîze Xalid Elî (25) and Tawaf Dawûd Çeto (24), who were rescued by YPJ on 1 August 2024, spoke about the atrocities they experienced and witnessed during ten years of captivity in the hands of ISIS.
Ezîza Xalid Elî
Ezîza Xalid Elî, who comes from Koço village of Shengal, said that she has experienced all kinds of pain, suffering and torture at the hands of ISIS gangs in the last 10 years. She was kidnapped by ISIS gangs at the age of 15 and is now 25 years old. She said that the massacre carried out by ISIS in Shengal and the moments she was kidnapped were the most difficult moments in her life and added "10 years of my life have been wasted."
From Tal Afar to Azaz
Ezîze Elî stated that after her abduction, the gangs took her to Tal Afar district, then sent her to Raqqa, where she was handed over to the families of ISIS gangs along with many other abducted Yazidi women. From there, she was taken to Tabqa, Meyadîn, Bab and Aleppo. Ezîze Elî stated that after the defeat of ISIS gangs by the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) in Baxoz town of Deir ez-Zor in 2019, ISIS gangs were transferred to Hol Camp with their families.
Forced to marry many times and convert to Islam
Ezîza Elî continued: "The gangs forced us to marry many times. They forced us to convert to Islam and forced us to learn the Qur'an. I did not believe in what they forced me to do. We were forbidden to leave the house during our stay with the families of the gangs."
Ezîze Elî expressed that she was happy to return to her village and reunite her family.
Tewaf Çeto
Tewaf Çeto was also abducted by ISIS gangs on 3 August, along with her sisters and 31 young Yazidi women during the mass slaughter against the Yazidi community in Shengal ten years ago.
One of Tewaf Çeto's sisters was rescued by YPJ fighters during the liberation of Baxoz in 2019.
Tewaf Çeto, who was constantly subjected to torture and sexual assault by ISIS gangs for the last 10 years, thanked YPJ fighters for saving them from ISIS gangs.
