Iraq sentences widow of Islamic State founder to death

The Criminal Court of Baghdad's al-Karkh district has sentenced Isra Rajab Sakhr al-Qaisi, also known as Umm Hudayfa, to death. She is the widow of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the founder and first "caliph" of the terrorist group Islamic State.

She was found guilty of collaborating with a terrorist group and forcibly enslaving Yazidi women in the Sinjar region. Al-Baghdadi, who had several wives, led the Islamic State, one of the most radical Islamist groups. From 2014 to 2015, it controlled a significant part of Syria, imposing a regime of terror. Al-Baghdadi was killed by American commandos in 2019.

The issue of women's involvement in ISIS crimes is contentious. Due to the movement's ideology, women were largely excluded from public life. However, many were known to have abused captured slaves and participated in the activities of the morality police.