WASHINGTON — About a thousand western women have left their countries to go to Syria and Iraq to join the Islamic State, according to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Zainab al Suwaij, Executive Director of the American Islamic Congress, told WTOP that there are many different reasons why western women may be inclined to leave their countries to join ISIS.
She believes it may be because these women are “marginalized,” “don’t have good lives,” or “are recruited by a guy, and this guy is being very romantic, and they thought they (would go) and live a beautiful life.”
Many westerners believe that women in ISIS only serve as jihadi brides, but as ISIS continues to lose ground in Iraq and Syria, the responsibilities of women in the terrorist group are changing.
“Some of these roles are spying, and then they have a role of recruitment … from Europe, from the western societies, as well as from Middle Eastern countries. They have another role, of keeping law and order among women. Women — they should be covered from head to toe. Add to that, they are using women in some jihadi activities, like bombing targets,” al Suwaij said.
With more and more men targeted and killed by anti-terrorist organizations, the Islamic State has enlisted women in more active roles underground. But women’s autonomy remains in danger at the hands of these extremist men.
Recalling a conversation she had with two women who escaped from ISIS, al Suwaij said, “They were recruited in Tunisia, at ages 19 and 20, and then been shipped to Istanbul, and then from Istanbul to the Syrian border. Their role, as explained to them by the recruiter, was to help women and refugees and children there.”
That was not the case.
“By the time they get to the other side of the border, they’ve been joined by other young women from Europe, and when they get to the compound, (the other women) explained to them that they are no refugees here, no women or children that they can help,” al Suwaij said. “In fact, they are going to be jihadi brides and they have to serve the sexual desires (of) ten or fifteen people per day.”
One of the other women from Europe refused and was killed in front of the women al Suwaij spoke with. They therefore kept quiet and performed the duties that were expected of them until they escaped.
“That is a story I will never forget. It’s really damaging. I mean, both of them are destroyed, basically,” said al Suwaij.
