ISIS insurgents abduct and execute two women officials in Hasakah Canton in North and East Syria

NORTH AND EAST SYRIA — Elements of the Islamic State (ISIS) abducted and executed two local officials of the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA) in Hasakah Canton’s Dashisha District. Abducted from their homes on Friday, the decapitated bodies of Saada Faisal Hermas and Hind Latif Khudhair were found at the entrance of the town of Tel Shayer. The two Arab women had previously been threatened by ISIS for working with the DAA.

The Women’s Directorate of the DAA condemned the heinous crime in a statement, saying that the brutality of the attack indicates the bankruptcy and failure of ISIS in the region. The Directorate appealed to the international community and humanitarian and human rights organizations, especially women’s organizations, to take action about the violations and massacres committed against women in Syria.

Sada and Hind, two officials representing an Arab town in Al Hassaka region, were assassinated by an ISIS terrorist cell today. The criminals can not stand seeing women in public positions and resort to intimidation and murder. I mourn the loss of these women and leaders. pic.twitter.com/N7qKZZy1lv

— Elham Ahmad (@ElhamAhmadSDC) January 24, 2021

********** STATEMENT OF THE WOMEN’S DIRECTORATE OF NORTH AND EAST SYRIA **********

At a time when the people of North and East Syria are struggling to gain their freedom and achieve security and stability, the Syrian Democratic Forces continue their primary mission of eliminating the cells of the terrorist organization ISIS that are trying to re-emerge. The enemies of the Autonomous Administration are trying to undermine our attempts to ensure gender equality. The incident which occurred in the town of Tel Shayer in Dashisha District in Hasakah Canton is evidence of this.

Two officials, Saada Faisal Hermas and Hind Latif Khudhair, were kill in a heinous crime.

These crimes are aimed at destabilizing the region and spreading terror among the people, especially women. However, this crime only proves the bankruptcy and failure of the terrorist.

On behalf of the Women’s Directorate, we condemn in the strongest terms the criminal act against our fellow members in the town of Tel Shayer and mourn for them and their families. We assure the people of North and East Syria and the whole world that our project will continue until security and stability are achieved in Syria. We appeal to the world and humanitarian rights organizations, especially women’s organization, to stand up against the violations and massacres against women in our regions.