Jihadi brides find escape from ISIS is impossible
Lured by the false promise of an Islamic utopia and an adoring husband, scores of British women and girls fled to join ISIS, but as military operations against the group intensify they are now trapped with “zero chance” of escaping alive, said a reporter from the Independent.
At least one British recruit, 17-year-old Kadiza Sultana, is understood to have been killed in airstrikes and the outlook for her two friends is bleak as ISIS’ enemies advance on its ever-diminishing territories in Syria.
Her family said she quickly became disillusioned with life under the Islamic State after arriving with Amira Abase and Shamima Begum early last year. The three friends fled from their homes in east London in the Easter holidays, sparking an international police search and emotional appeals from their families for them to return home. But the trio swiftly reached ISIS’ de-facto capital of Raqqa and were married to militants.
They were just three among at least 56 young women and girls known to have travelled from the UK to join ISIS in Syria in 2015 alone.
Tasnime Akunjee, a solicitor for all three families, told the Independent that Shamima and Amira were still alive.
He explained how Kadiza had become desperate to escape the group by late last year, discussing plans with her family but giving up hope when an Austrian jihadi bride was publicly beaten to death after being caught trying to flee. “I don’t have a good feeling, I feel scared,” she told her sister in a phone call in November.
“How am I going to get out ” Less than five months later she was reportedly killed in a Russian airstrike.
“For me personally the hope is that if there is anything that can be salvaged from this tragic situation it is that people will take it as a warning,” Mr Akunjee said.