Iraqi Christian Woman is Reunited with Father after 3 Years in ISIS' Captivity
- Updated Apr 06, 2018
An Iraqi Christian woman who was kidnapped by ISIS in 2014, raped and sold as a sex slave, has been reunited with her father.
Rita Habib called the emotional reunion a “dream,” as there were many times during her captivity when she never expected to see her father again.
“I am very happy that after three years I reunited with my father. It is a joyous moment because he is the only family I have left," Habib said.
The Christian Post reports that Islamic extremists overran Habib’s hometown of Qaraqosh, southeast of Mosul, three years ago. Thousands of people were killed and hundreds of woman, including Habib, were taken captive.
Habib was held captive in Mosul for several months before being sold as a sex slave to Syria.
She recounted some of the horrors she saw and experienced while in ISIS’ captivity:
"I was bought and sold four times. They did evil things to us. They beat us and raped us. The worst of all was girls aged nine who were raped. Girls would be sold for 4,000 to 15,000 dollars."
Habib was rescued several months ago as ISIS' stronghold in the region began crumbling. Now that she is back home and reunited with her father, she says she wants to begin rebuilding her life and community. She also hopes to help other women who were kidnapped.
Photo courtesy: ©Thinkstockphotos.com
Publication date: April 6, 2018
