Ex-Wife of Top ISIS Official Charged with Crimes Against Humanity in France

The ex-wife of a high-ranking ISIS leader has been charged with crimes against humanity in France for allegedly enslaving and raping a 16-year-old Yazidi girl in Syria in 2015. The woman, identified only as Sonia M., was the former wife of Abdelnasser Benyoucef, who headed the Islamic State's external operations unit.

According to the charges, Sonia M. held the Yazidi girl captive for over a month, withholding food and water without permission. The victim, now 25, accused Sonia M. of raping her twice and being aware that her husband was also sexually abusing the girl. Sonia M. has denied the allegations, admitting only to one incident of rape committed by Benyoucef.

The charges against Sonia M. constitute the first of their kind in France related to the atrocities perpetrated by ISIS against the Yazidi minority. In 2016, France launched an investigation into crimes committed against ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq and Syria since 2012, with the aim of documenting these offenses and identifying French perpetrators belonging to the Islamic State.

Why this matters: The case highlights the ongoing efforts to hold ISIS members accountable for their crimes against humanity, particularly the systematic persecution and enslavement of the Yazidi community. It also underscores the importance of international cooperation in bringing justice to victims of war crimes and human rights abuses.

The charges against Sonia M. come as part of a broader effort to prosecute ISIS members for the group's atrocities against the Yazidis, which included the killing of thousands of Yazidi men and the kidnapping of over 6,000 Yazidis, many of whom were sold as sex slaves in Syria and Iraq. An arrest warrant has also been issued for Benyoucef for his role in these crimes.

The Yazidi victim's lawyer, Nabil Boudi, emphasized the significance of the case, stating, "This is a first. It's a real breakthrough to be able to prosecute a woman for crimes against humanity in relation to the Yazidi genocide." The trial is expected to shed light on the horrific experiences endured by Yazidi women and girls at the hands of ISIS and serve as a step towards achieving justice for the victims.

Key Takeaways

• Ex-wife of ISIS leader charged with crimes against humanity in France
• Accused of enslaving and raping a 16-year-old Yazidi girl in Syria in 2015
• First such case in France related to ISIS atrocities against Yazidis
• Highlights efforts to hold ISIS members accountable for crimes against humanity
• Arrest warrant also issued for the ex-husband, the ISIS leader