A life in limbo for the wives and children of ISIS fighters

A life in limbo¹ for the wives and children of ISIS fighters

Transcript²

The camp for displaced persons sits in a dusty limbo in northern Iraq, in between security checkpoints that separate Iraq's Kurdistan region from the rest of the country.

Most of the residents of the Hassan Sham³ camp are the wives and children of ISIS fighters. And they sit in limbo, too.

"If this camp closes, where would we go?" Noora Majeed, a mother of 4 originally from the city of Mosul, asks. Her voice is just a few decibels⁴ short of a yell. "Nobody wants us," she says.

Majeed and the other residents say they are outcasts. They say they're no longer welcome in their hometowns. Police, militias⁵ and former neighbors harass⁶ them, they say.

"Nobody welcomes us," Majeed says. "Nobody takes us in. They don't like us. Even my family. None of them."

Standing⁷ outside her canvas tent surrounded by a group of children, including four of her own, Majeed says she can't return to her old neighborhood in Mosul.

"We are afraid to go back there," she says. "They say you are the wives of ISIS. They harass us."

Her husband, she says, was an ISIS fighter who now is dead. And the stigma⁸ of his ISIS association is so great that even her own family — the bedrock social safety net in Iraq — refuse to have anything to do with Majeed or her children. So instead they live in one of the white, canvas tents provided by the U.N. and USAID.

Majeed and her kids have been in the Hassan Sham camp for five years. With nowhere to go, she has no idea when she'll be able to leave. And she and her family, like all the residents of the camp, face mounting health and education issues.

Left behind after the war to oust⁹ ISIS

To understand why the camps exist, you have to look back to 2014, when ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi stood in a mosque¹⁰ in Mosul and declared the creation of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The so-called caliphate would come to control nearly a third of Iraq and much of northeastern Syria. The militant¹¹ group and its extremist interpretation¹² of Islam attracted followers¹³ from all over the world, including many disillusioned¹⁴ Sunni Muslims from Iraq.

Three years later, after a brutal¹⁵ war to oust ISIS, Iraq declared victory over the group. Many of its fighters fled to Syria. Others ended up dead or in Iraqi prisoners. The wives and children of ISIS were left behind. Hundreds of thousands of them ended up essentially¹⁶ in refugee camps in the country where they'd been born.

In 2020, Iraq shut down all of the camps for so-called "internally displaced persons" in portions of the country controlled by Baghdad. But authorities in Iraqi Kurdistan have said they won't force any of the camp residents to leave if they don't want to.

Currently there are 26 camps in northern Iraq, housing nearly 200,000 people. Hassan Sham holds nearly 6,000.

While some of the camp residents like Majeed and her children have lived there for years, others arrived just this year from the massive al-Hol camp in Syria. Al-Hol holds about 60,000 people who'd been affiliated¹⁷ with ISIS. Early in 2022, it saw deadly attacks by ISIS sleeper¹⁸ cells, targeting workers and those in the camp they have disputes with.

Obstacles to getting food, health care – and an education

Life is difficult in all of these camps.

At the Hassan Sham camp the only consistent assistance to the residents is a monthly stipend¹⁹ of $12 each month from the World Food Programme. Majeed and her neighbors say this isn't enough to live on. One of Majeed's sons digs up wild roots from the surrounding plains to sell for food as a way to earn extra cash.

"These kids are innocent," Majeed says of the children gathered around her. "They didn't choose to join ISIS."

The deputy manager of the camp, Haniya Baka Othman, says conditions in the camp are growing worse as funding for food, education and health care dries up.

"Health, it's too, too bad," Othman says. "We have just one center for health. They receive approximately 500 patients each week." But the donor²⁰ that was funding the health clinic just announced that it's terminating its contract.

The high school doesn't have money for teachers so roughly 200 teenagers in Hassan Sham walk down the road each day to another camp to study.

There's a school for younger kids but it's funded by the Iraqi government and only children with government identification can enroll²¹. Many of the kids at Hassan Sham were born in territory under the control of Islamic State and don't have IDs.

Othman says roughly 40% of the camp residents — adults and children — have no identification. That means the kids can't go to school and the adults can't pass the security checkpoints on the roads leading in and out of Hassan Sham to visit a doctor, go to work, go to university.

A Swedish aid group tried to launch a campaign to get residents IDs a couple of years ago, Othman says, "But the Iraqi government didn't accept that because they are the families of ISIS."

This camp was founded by UNHCR, the U.N. refugee agency, and is now administered by a local charity. But the Iraqi government in Baghdad has made it clear that it wants these camps too close and for the residents to find someplace else to go.

Even as Iraq transfers additional ISIS families here from camps in Syria, it's the government has declared that anyone who arrived after November of 2020 isn't eligible²² for food stipends²³.

"So when they bring assistance for the residents, they exclude those family that came after this date," she says.

A young man waits and dreams

Many Iraqis view the residents of these camps with suspicion.

The violence that ISIS unleashed²⁴ in 2014 is still fresh in most Iraqis' minds. The conflict drove millions of people from their homes and left thousands dead. And ISIS continues to launch sporadic²⁵ attacks in Iraq and in January staged a brazen²⁶ jail break across the border in Syria.

But Iraq's deputy minister of migration²⁷, Karim Hussein Ali Al-Nuri, says Iraq defeated the Islamic State, the camp residents don't pose a threat and it's simply time for them to go home.

"They have no affiliation²⁸ with ISIS," the deputy minister told NPR. "They have been checked by the security forces and they have no problem."

Residents of the Hassan Sham camp say the lasting²⁹ stigma of ISIS and other problems prevent them from leaving the facility.

Othman says some of the women have warrants for their arrest — there are lots of different charges, including supporting a terrorist organization. So they can't even leave the camp for medical care.

Two sections of the camp house young men who were child soldiers with ISIS. They've served sentences in juvenile³⁰ detention³¹, some of them on terrorism charges. Given the disjointed Iraqi justice and security system and the multiple forces that report to different administrations, the young men could face additional charges if they attempt to go home. So Hassan Sham serves as a landing spot for them after juvenile hall.

With nothing else to do, 23-year-old Jowhar Adel says he and other young men sleep late, scroll³² on their phones, play soccer in the afternoons.

Adel, who was sent to juvenile detention on terrorism charges for being an ISIS fighter, says he has no desire to rejoin the group. "We want peace," he says. "We don't want to interfere³³ in anyone else's life and we don't want anyone to interfere in ours."

If he does get out of the camp, he hopes to find employment as a construction worker or a mechanic.

He blames the U.S. for his predicament, pointing to the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein and, he believes, led to the humiliation³⁴ of Sunni Muslims in Iraq and the rise of ISIS.

Meanwhile, Adel has no idea if or when he'll be able to leave.

"This is just a different kind of prison," he says.

1 limbo   

n.地狱的边缘；监狱

参考例句：

• His life seemed stuck in limbo and he could not go forward and he could not go back.他的生活好像陷入了不知所措的境地，进退两难。
• I didn't know whether my family was alive or dead.I felt as if I was in limbo.我不知道家人是生是死，感觉自己茫然无措。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 sham   

n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的)

参考例句：

• They cunningly played the game of sham peace.他们狡滑地玩弄假和平的把戏。
• His love was a mere sham.他的爱情是虚假的。

4 decibels   

n.分贝( decibel的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The typical lawn mower makes about 90 decibels of noise. 典型的割草机发出的声响约为90分贝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A normal conversation reaches 55 decibels. 普通的谈话即可达55分贝。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

6 harass   

vt.使烦恼，折磨，骚扰

参考例句：

• Our mission is to harass the landing of the main Japaness expeditionary force.我们的任务是骚乱日本远征军主力的登陆。
• They received the order to harass the enemy's rear.他们接到骚扰敌人后方的命令。

7 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

8 stigma   

n.耻辱，污名；(花的)柱头

参考例句：

• Being an unmarried mother used to carry a social stigma.做未婚母亲在社会上曾是不光彩的事。
• The stigma of losing weighed heavily on the team.失败的耻辱让整个队伍压力沉重。

9 oust   

vt.剥夺，取代，驱逐

参考例句：

• The committee wanted to oust him from the union.委员会想把他从工会中驱逐出去。
• The leaders have been ousted from power by nationalists.这些领导人被民族主义者赶下了台。

10 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

11 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

12 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

13 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

14 disillusioned   

a.不再抱幻想的，大失所望的，幻想破灭的

参考例句：

• I soon became disillusioned with the job. 我不久便对这个工作不再抱幻想了。
• Many people who are disillusioned in reality assimilate life to a dream. 许多对现实失望的人把人生比作一场梦。

15 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

16 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

17 affiliated   

adj. 附属的, 有关连的

参考例句：

• The hospital is affiliated with the local university. 这家医院附属于当地大学。
• All affiliated members can vote. 所有隶属成员都有投票权。

18 sleeper   

n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺

参考例句：

• I usually go up to London on the sleeper. 我一般都乘卧车去伦敦。
• But first he explained that he was a very heavy sleeper. 但首先他解释说自己睡觉很沉。

19 stipend   

n.薪贴；奖学金；养老金

参考例句：

• The company is going to ajust my stipend from this month onwards.从这一个月开始公司将对我的薪金作调整。
• This sum was nearly a third of his total stipend.这笔钱几乎是他全部津贴的三分之一。

20 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。

21 enroll   

v.招收；登记；入学；参军；成为会员（英)enrol

参考例句：

• I should like to enroll all my children in the swimming class.我愿意让我的孩子们都参加游泳班。
• They enroll him as a member of the club.他们吸收他为俱乐部会员。

22 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

23 stipends   

n.（尤指牧师的）薪俸( stipend的名词复数 )

参考例句：

24 unleashed   

v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The government's proposals unleashed a storm of protest in the press. 政府的提案引发了新闻界的抗议浪潮。
• The full force of his rage was unleashed against me. 他把所有的怒气都发泄在我身上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 sporadic   

adj.偶尔发生的 [反]regular；分散的

参考例句：

• The sound of sporadic shooting could still be heard.仍能听见零星的枪声。
• You know this better than I.I received only sporadic news about it.你们比我更清楚，而我听到的只是零星消息。

26 brazen   

adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的

参考例句：

• The brazen woman laughed loudly at the judge who sentenced her.那无耻的女子冲着给她判刑的法官高声大笑。
• Some people prefer to brazen a thing out rather than admit defeat.有的人不愿承认失败，而是宁肯厚着脸皮干下去。

27 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

28 affiliation   

n.联系，联合

参考例句：

• There is no affiliation between our organization and theirs,even though our names are similar.尽管两个组织的名称相似，但我们之间并没有关系。
• The kidnappers had no affiliation with any militant group.这些绑架者与任何军事组织都没有紧密联系。

29 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

30 juvenile   

n.青少年，少年读物；adj.青少年的，幼稚的

参考例句：

• For a grown man he acted in a very juvenile manner.身为成年人，他的行为举止显得十分幼稚。
• Juvenile crime is increasing at a terrifying rate.青少年犯罪正在以惊人的速度增长。

31 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

32 scroll   

n.卷轴，纸卷；(石刻上的)漩涡

参考例句：

• As I opened the scroll,a panorama of the Yellow River unfolded.我打开卷轴时，黄河的景象展现在眼前。
• He was presented with a scroll commemorating his achievements.他被授予一幅卷轴，以表彰其所做出的成就。

33 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

34 humiliation   

n.羞辱

参考例句：

• He suffered the humiliation of being forced to ask for his cards.他蒙受了被迫要求辞职的羞辱。
• He will wish to revenge his humiliation in last Season's Final.他会为在上个季度的决赛中所受的耻辱而报复的。