​​​​​​​Liberated Sawsan of ISIS: They robbed me of my culture

 As a result of the second phase of the humanity and security campaign in Al-Hol camp, many members of the secret cells were arrested and many tunnels and weapons of ISIS mercenaries were found.  This was certainly a blow to ISIS sleeper cells.  But the most valuable achievement was the liberation of Yazidi women.  The Women's Protection Units had previously promised to liberate the Yazidi women who had been kidnapped by ISIS, and considered this a primary goal.  As a result of the ongoing procedures so far in Al-Hol camp, the Women's Protection Units liberated two Yazidi women, "Wafa Ali Abbas and Sawsan Hassan Haider" from the clutches of ISIS.

 A week ago we published Wafaa's story.  Today, we share with you Sawsan suffering over 9 years.

 9 of her family were kidnapped

 Sawsan Hassan Haider (24 years old), a Yazidi woman from Shingal.  In 2014, as a result of ISIS attacks on Shingal, she was kidnapped by ISIS mercenaries.  Not only her, but 9 people from her family were also kidnapped.  So far, Sawsan has not received any information about her father, brother, 3 uncles, aunts, cousins ​​and two cousins.  Only her mother, brothers and sisters were released.  Sawsan describes the stage from which her life was taken by saying: “On that day, there were battles in Shingal until the morning. In the morning hours, ISIS occupied Shingal. They gathered the people of Shingal in one place. The men were separated from the women.  The men were taken but we did not know where they were taken. The women and children were gathered in schools in Tal Aafar and Mosul. They took us all with my family to Tal Aafar. Then we were taken to a village in Syria. ISIS mercenaries were coming to take the Yazidi women. They took me with my mother.  And my uncle’s wife to the city of Al-Qaim in Iraq. There they gave us to the mercenaries."

They took them from city to city

 “I broke up with my mother,” with these words Sawsan expresses her pain.  After her separation from her mother, they moved Sawsan from city to city.  Sawsan says: "At first they took me to Anbar. I stayed there for about a year. With the approach of the Iraqi forces they took me to Mosul. I stayed there for about a month. From there, they took me back to Syria to the city of Raqqa. With the approach of the Syrian Democratic Forces, we were transferred me to Mayadin. I stayed there for a while and was taken to Al-Ashara. Then, because of the war, I was transferred to Al-Bukamal. The war broke out there, I was transferred to Hajin. I stayed there for a while. The Syrian Democratic Forces were nearby,  So I was taken to Shafa'a, then to Susa. Finally, they took me to Baghouz."

 From Baghouz to Al-Hol camp

  In the camp, she would very much like to say she was a Yazidi, but she did not do so out of fear.  What was Sawsan afraid of? Sure, Dash's mercenaries frightened her, but she was also afraid of society's look. This fear of society was implanted in her by ISIS mercenaries who told her that society will reject you.  She has lived through the harshest forms of injustice.  The Yazidi community will surely take care of her.  After Sawsan came to the camp, she registered her name in the foreigners' section.  She lived in al-Hol camp for 4 years, and says: "I was living on the basis that I was a foreigner."

 You will not forget the sacrifices of the Women's Protection Units

 The day she never dreamed of has come.  The Women's Protection Units have fulfilled the promise they made to the Yazidi women.  On the twentieth day of the campaign, the fighters of the Women's Protection Units liberated Sawsan.  Sawsan describes her moments of happiness: "I felt very happy. I did not expect that one day I would be liberated and returned to my family. The YPG fighters were very nice to me, I will never forget that."

 'My happiness was doubled'

"I miss Shingal so much"

 Sawsan told her story, albeit briefly. She never believed or dreamed that their life would be like this one day.  Being separated from her family was a very difficult struggle.  Her only desire so far is to return to Shingal to forget the dark history.  Sawsan says with a lot of anguish and sadness that she misses Shingal a lot.  About the dream of returning to Shingal, she says: "When I was with the mercenaries, I told them that one day we will return to our country. They told me to forget about returning. But I won after I  was liberated. I will return to my old life and my old personality. I missed Shinagl very much. After 9 years I will see my hometown. I loved studying very much. I will continue my studies when I return to Şengal.

 She was liberated and will fight for the liberation of the rest of the Yazidi women

 Sawsan saw many Yazidi women in Raqqa and Mosul.  When they met, they tried repeatedly to escape from the mercenaries, but their attempts were unsuccessful.  When the mercenaries knew about them, they did not allow them to leave.  In order to break all the restrictions placed by the mercenaries in the hands of the Yazidi women, Sawsan says: "I will do everything in my power to free the Yazidi women."

 It should be noted that the fighters of the Women's Protection Units managed to liberate Sawsan Hassan Haider from the foreigners' section in al-Hol camp on September 13, as part of the second phase of the Humanity and security campaign.

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