U.S. renews $5 million reward for Somali-born ISIS figure Khadra Issa
WASHINGTON — The United States is offering up to $5 million for information leading to the whereabouts or capture of Khadra Issa, also known as Umm Qaqa al-Somali, whom Washington identifies as a senior ISIS religious instructor.
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The State Department’s Rewards for Justice programme said Issa was born in Somalia, holds Dutch citizenship and travelled to Syria in 2014 to join ISIS.
U.S. officials said she underwent training in weapons, explosives and suicide operations. Washington also accused her of consistently endorsing violence and urging ISIS members to conduct attacks in countries around the world.
The State Department said Issa advanced the group’s extremist ideology, including its justification for suicide attacks and the killing of civilians. She was also allegedly involved in recruiting members for ISIS.
U.S. authorities identified Issa as the leader of Nusaybah Katibah, or ISIS-NK, an all-female ISIS unit formed in the Syrian city of Raqqah in 2016. The unit recruited, organised and trained women in combat and military skills. At its height, Washington said, ISIS-NK counted hundreds of trained members, among them American and European nationals.
The unit’s capabilities weakened after ISIS lost the territory it had controlled. However, the United States said ISIS-NK remains active and continues to represent a threat.
According to the State Department, Issa helped enforce ISIS’s interpretation of Islamic law while leading a section of ISIS-NK, including rules governing women.
She was also accused of giving orders that led to the physical punishment of women, including beatings and killings.
The United States further alleged that Issa held abducted children in her custody, including two American siblings, Yusuf and Zahra Shikder.
Rewards for Justice is offering up to $5 million for information that may help locate Issa. The programme did not say where she is currently believed to be.
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