On Tuesday, the United Nations representative for sexual violence highlighted the ongoing slavery and sale of women and girls by members of the Islamic State (ISIS), stating that these individuals sell girls for 'the price of a cigarette.' According to a report by Agence France-Presse on Tuesday, June 9, Zainab Bangura, the UN representative on sexual violence, who visited Iraq and Syria last April, is working on a project regarding sexual violence perpetrated by ISIS members. According to this UN special envoy, the abduction of young girls over the past year and a half has formed 'a key part of ISIS's strategy to attract and recruit foreign fighters.' Ms. Bangura stated that after each new operation, ISIS sets up a market to sell the young girls they have kidnapped. However, she noted that there are still no accurate statistics on the number of girls abducted by ISIS. In her report to the UN on Tuesday, Zainab Bangura mentioned that these young girls are sold for 'the price of a cigarette' or for hundreds and thousands of dollars. Reports of slavery and the trafficking of women and girls by ISIS have been circulating for over a year, but it was first explicitly acknowledged by the group in October 2014 in their online publication. In their official publication, Dabiq, ISIS wrote in an article titled 'Reviving Slavery Before the Day of Resurrection' that they have returned a distorted aspect of Islamic law to its true meaning through this practice. According to a recent UN report, nearly 25,000 foreign fighters from nearly 100 countries are participating in conflicts and unrest around the world, with the highest numbers going to Iraq and Syria. In this context, the Obama administration in the United States recently announced that since the start of the coalition's operations in Iraq, nearly 10,000 members of ISIS, which was previously reported to have 35,000 members, have been killed. Nevertheless, the US government noted in its report that alongside the deaths of these 10,000, many new individuals have joined ISIS.
Selling Girls for the Price of a Cigarette by the Islamic State Government
The UN has reported that ISIS continues to abduct and sell young girls, often for as little as the price of a cigarette, as part of their strategy to recruit foreign fighters. This practice highlights the ongoing human rights abuses in conflict zones like Iraq and Syria, drawing international attention to the plight of women under ISIS control.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The UN has reported that ISIS continues to abduct and sell young girls, often for as little as the price of a cigarette, as part of their strategy to recruit foreign fighters. This practice highlights the ongoing human rights abuses in conflict zones like Iraq and Syria.
- ISIS sells abducted girls for prices ranging from a cigarette to thousands of dollars.
- The abduction of girls is a strategy used by ISIS to attract foreign fighters.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
ISIS has been known for its brutal tactics, including the enslavement of women and girls, which it justifies through a distorted interpretation of Islamic law. This has been a significant aspect of their operations since they gained prominence.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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