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As per the statement released by Iraq’s judicial council, the Karkh criminal court sentenced the widow for ‘detaining Yazidi women in her home’ read more
 "Widow of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi given death sentence over atrocities against Yazidi women")
Former IS caliphate Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Source: File Image / AP
A court in Iraq has issued a death sentence to one of the widows of the late Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, alleging that she was complicit in crimes committed against Yazidi women captured by the militant group.
As per the statement released by Iraq’s judicial council, the Karkh criminal court sentenced the woman for “detaining Yazidi women in her home”. The court found that Baghdadi’s wife facilitated their kidnapping by “the terrorist Isis gangs in Sinjar district”.
The ruling came weeks before the 10-year mark since IS launched a series of attacks against the religious minority group of Yazidi in August 2014. In the northern Iraqi region of Sinjar, the militant group captured and killed thousands. Hundreds of Yazidi women and children were subjected to human trafficking and sexual abuse.
The court keeps the identity of Baghdadi’s wife hidden
According to the state-run Iraqi News Agency, the ruling was issued in accordance with Iraq’s anti-terrorism law and its “Yazidi survivors law”. While the statement did not name the defendant, two court officials identified the convict as Asma Mohammed. It is pertinent to note that Mohammed was arrested in 2018 in Turkey and was later extradited.
The case came to the forefront after survivors of the IS attacks in Iraq complained that there was a lack of accountability and urged the Iraqi government – to wind down a UN investigation of IS crimes. In the past, the UN said that the campaign against the Yazidis amounted to genocide.
On 29 June 2014, al-Baghdadi, known as one of the most ruthlessly effective jihadist leaders of modern times was declared the terror group’s caliphate. However, in 2019, he was killed in a US raid in Syria, which was ultimately followed by a historic address by former US President Donald Trump. The US raid gave a major blow to the group which now lost its hold on all the areas it previously controlled.
With inputs from agencies.
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English (US) ·