Kurdish counter-terrorism rescues 15-year-old Swedish girl

Kurdish security forces rescued a Swedish girl on Feb. 17 from Islamic State (IS) near Mosul, Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) announced on Tuesday.

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (K24) – Kurdish security forces rescued a Swedish girl on Feb. 17 from Islamic State (IS) near Mosul, Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) announced on Tuesday.

In a unique military operation, Special Forces from the Directorate General of Counter-Terrorism (CTD) rescued 15-year-old Marlin Stivani Nivarlain in the heart of IS-controlled territory near Mosul in northern Iraq, according to a KRSC statement.

Nivarlain is from the Swedish city of Boras and in mid-2015, she was deceived by IS extremists and brought to Syria then later transferred to Mosul.

Additionally, after Nivarlain left Sweden and arrived in Syria, her family and Swedish officials requested the KRSC attempt to rescue her. In an intelligence operation, her location was found and she was freed by CTD.

KRSC also revealed that Nivarlain is safe and under protection in Kurdistan Region. Necessary measures have been conducted with her family and the Swedish government to ensure her safe return.

On Monday, CTD also foiled a sticky bomb attached to a civilian car in Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan Region.

 

Reporting by Mewan Dolamari

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany and Benjamin Kweskin