‘I Lived Through Hell’: Rescued Yazidi Girl Recounts 11 Years in ISIS Captivity
Yazidi survivor Dima Amin recounts 11 years of captivity, sexual abuse, and separation after her 2014 abduction by ISIS. Recently rescued, she urges efforts to reunite with her family. Hundreds of Yazidis remain missing as the community seeks justice and healing.
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) — A Yazidi girl recently rescued from ISIS captivity has shared her harrowing testimony with Kurdistan24, shedding light on the years of torment, sexual violence, and separation she endured over more than a decade of abduction.
Dima Amin, originally from the village of Kocho in Sinjar, was abducted by ISIS in 2014 along with eight members of her family. Her emotional statement comes amid continued efforts to rescue the remaining Yazidis still held or missing in the aftermath of ISIS’s genocidal campaign.
“I am truly delighted and relieved to have been rescued,” Dima told Kurdistan24. “I want to thank my uncle, Abdullah, and everyone who helped make this possible. I hope the rest of my family can also be rescued.”
Describing her years in captivity, Dima said:
“There were countless moments of torture and anguish. Honestly, I lived through hell—it was unbearable. I was sexually assaulted. We had no life; it was horrifying. I wouldn’t wish such a life on anyone. It was a heavy burden, especially not being able to see my family or loved ones. They tormented us constantly. I was completely separated from my family and repeatedly violated. I even thought about ending my life many times.”
When asked about her abduction and the years that followed, Dima recounted being forcibly taken to Syria after ISIS captured Sinjar:
“When Daesh (ISIS) entered Iraq and took control of our areas, they moved us to Syria. They didn’t remain in Iraq for long—maybe a month. After that, I was separated from my family. An ISIS member took me by force to Syria and kept me in his house. He and others abused me—physically, emotionally, and sexually. They beat and insulted me constantly.”
Dima said she remained in Syria for three years before crossing into Turkey illegally, where she lived for seven more years. Yet, even in Turkey, the suffering did not end:
“The torment didn’t end after I left Syria. I lost most of my family. My extended family also disappeared. I know nothing about their whereabouts.”
Her journey back to Iraq was fraught with more obstacles.
“Later, I was detained in Turkey. I pleaded to be sent back to Iraq, but they refused because I had no passport or documents proving my Iraqi citizenship. I was held in Adana and released just four days before Eid al-Adha. Shockingly, the same ISIS fighter who had taken me to Syria was also detained in Turkey—and released at the same time as me. The suffering continued. Even in Turkey, I endured many unbearable moments,” she explained.
Her greatest wish now is to reunite with her remaining family members.
“My eldest brother, my father, and my younger brother are still missing. I know my mother is in Australia. I only hope to see her again someday—and to be reunited with my family,” she said.
Dima’s story is one of thousands that continue to emerge from the Yazidi community. According to official statistics, 3,587 Yazidi Kurds have so far been rescued from ISIS captivity and reunited with their families. Yet, hundreds remain unaccounted for, and efforts to locate and recover them are ongoing.
The rescue of Dima Amin is a testament to the continued struggle of Yazidi survivors and their families in the aftermath of genocide, as well as the pressing need for international and regional efforts to ensure justice, healing, and reunification.
