17/01/2025

Germany begins trial of ISIS leader accused of war crimes against Yezidis

BERLIN — German authorities announced the commencement of the trial of an alleged Islamic State (ISIS) leader charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity targeting the Yezidi community in Syria and Iraq.

According to the German Prosecutor General’s Office, the suspect, identified as “Osama” in line with German privacy laws, joined ISIS in Dayro Zcuro (Deir ez-Zor), eastern Syria, during the summer of 2014. Osama is accused of leading a local ISIS cell that forcibly seized 13 properties, primarily private residences, to accommodate fighters or serve as offices and warehouses. Among these properties, two were allegedly used to detain kidnapped Yezidis.

The prosecution has charged Osama with aiding and abetting genocide, emphasizing that his actions were part of ISIS’s broader objective to eradicate the Yezidi community.

Osama was arrested in April 2024 and remains in custody as he awaits sentencing. The trial highlights Germany’s ongoing commitment to holding ISIS members accountable for their atrocities, particularly against minority groups such as the Yezidis.