SDF frees Yazidi woman from ISIS captivity in Hawl Camp
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) rescued on Sunday a Yazidi woman during security operation in Hawl Camp in northeastern Syria.
The SDF’s Media Center announced in a statement that the Yazidi woman, Kovan Aidi Khourto, 24, was rescued from captivity by the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), an only-female military formation of the SDF.
The rescue came during the third phase of Operation Humanity and Security in the camp.
Khourto, who is from the village of Hardan in the Shangal region (also known as Sinjar), was among thousands of Yazidi girls and women kidnapped by the Islamic State (ISIS) during the 2014 massacres committed in Sinjar.
On Aug. 3, 2014, ISIS killed thousands of Yazidi men and kidnaped more than 6,000 Yazidis during its attack. Over half of them remain missing, according to official figures.
Most of Yazidis were sold as sex slaves by ISIS militants in markets in Syria and Iraq.
The SDF has managed to free hundreds of Yazidis after ISIS’ defeat in its last stronghold in the town of Baghuz in eastern Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria.
On Sept 12, 2022, the YPJ freed a Yezidi woman in Hawl Camp during the second phase of Operation “Humanity and Security” to pursue ISIS sleeper cells.