The Unyielding Search for Yazidi Women: A Grassroots Effort Against ISIS's Legacy

The plight of Yazidi women abducted by ISIS has sparked a determined grassroots movement aiming to locate and rescue those still missing, as authorities remain inactive.

The issue of missing Yazidi women and girls, abducted by ISIS militants over a decade ago, remains critical as families and volunteers pursue answers. Many of these individuals are feared dead or may have been sold into the horrific world of sexual slavery, while others languish in detention camps. Amidst the global indifference, an informal coalition of activists, some of whom are relatives of the victims, continues to rally for their return.

Pari Ibrahim, the executive director of a nonprofit based in suburban Maryland, embodies the fight against this ongoing tragedy. By day, she manages her organization; by night, she transforms into a dedicated sleuth, meticulously comparing photographs sent in by families to pinpoint potential matches. The task is arduous; the emotional toll is heavy. Each image can belong to a girl who has not only changed with age but who may also be lost to time.

The Yazidi community, a religious minority, endured an unprecedented wave of violence when ISIS rose to power in Iraq and Syria in 2014. A U.N. report revealed a horrific toll: approximately 3,100 Yazidis were killed, while around 6,800 were abducted during that catastrophic summer. Ten years later, while official bodies overlook the crisis, it is the indefatigable determination of everyday people like Ibrahim that keeps hope alive for the victims and their families.