Sema
A recently rescued Ezidi girl, Dima Amin, has shared her heartbreaking story with Sema TV, revealing the trauma, sexual violence, and long years of separation she endured during more than a decade of ISIS captivity.
Originally from the village of Kocho in Shingal, Dima was abducted by ISIS in 2014 along with eight members of her family. Her statement comes at a time when efforts are still ongoing to locate and rescue thousands of missing Ezidis after the 2014 genocide.
“I am truly happy and relieved to be rescued,” Dima told Sema TV. “I thank my uncle Abdullah and everyone who helped in my rescue. I only hope that the rest of my family can be found and brought home.”
Dima described her captivity in deeply painful terms:
“There were endless moments of torture and suffering. It was unbearable. I was sexually assaulted, beaten, and constantly abused. I was completely cut off from my family. I often thought of ending my life. It felt like living through hell.”
She recalled how she was forcibly taken from Iraq to Syria shortly after the fall of Shingal:
“ISIS took us from Iraq to Syria just weeks after their invasion. I was separated from my family, taken to a house by an ISIS member who abused me along with others. The violence—physical, emotional, and sexual—was nonstop.”
After spending three years in Syria, Dima crossed into Turkey illegally, where she remained for seven more years. However, her suffering didn’t end there.
“I lived in fear and isolation in Turkey. I was eventually detained in Adana, and I begged to be returned to Iraq. But I had no passport or proof of identity. I was released just four days before Eid al-Adha. To my shock, the same ISIS fighter who had trafficked me to Syria was also in Turkish detention—and released at the same time.”
Today, Dima’s biggest hope is to be reunited with her remaining family members.
“My father, my older brother, and my younger brother are still missing. I know my mother is in Australia. I just want to see her again—and be with my family.”
Dima’s story is one of many. According to official statistics, 3,587 Ezidis have been rescued so far from ISIS captivity. But hundreds are still unaccounted for, and families continue to search, hoping for news of their loved ones.
Her rescue is a reminder of the deep wounds left by the genocide, and the urgent need for continued efforts—locally and internationally—to rescue the missing, support the survivors, and pursue justice and healing for the Ezidi community.