Shamima Begum children, born amid controversy, represent the complicated issues surrounding her story.
Shamima Begum, born on August 25, 1999, is a British woman who traveled to Syria to join the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group when she was just 15 years old.
Key Takeaways
- Shamima Begum’s children tragically died from disease or malnutrition, highlighting the harsh conditions they faced in Syria.
- Yago Riedijk, Shamima Begum’s Dutch husband, wants her to return to the Netherlands with him, despite facing potential legal consequences for his association with a terrorist organization.
- The death of any child, including Shamima Begum’s newborn son, is considered tragic and deeply distressing for the family, as expressed by a UK government spokesperson.
Shamima Begum, known as an “ISIS bride,” married her Dutch jihadi husband, Yago Riedjik, just 10 days after arriving in Syria to join the Islamist terror group.
Riedijk, who was an ISIS fighter at 21, married the then 15-year-old Londoner in Raqqa, Syria, after a brief conversation to see if they got along.
Begum, now 24, had her British citizenship revoked on national security grounds after being found in a Syrian refugee camp in February 2019.
Shamima Begum’s Children Born Amidst Terrorist Group
Riedijk married Begum shortly after she arrived in Syria when he was 23 and she was 15. They have had three children together, but tragically, all of them have passed away.
Their daughter, Sarayah, died at the age of one year and nine months, and their son, Jerah, passed away at eight months old which is because of disease or malnutrition.
The third child was born after Western-backed forces captured Begum but also tragically passed away from pneumonia.
The baby tragically passed away from pneumonia, as stated in a medical certificate, when he was less than three weeks old.
A paramedic from the Kurdish Red Crescent, working in the camp, informed the BBC that the baby, named Jarrah, had been experiencing breathing problems.
He was brought to a doctor on Thursday morning and later transferred to a hospital with his mother.
Sadly, the baby passed away at 13:30 local time that day, as reported by the medical worker.
A spokesperson from the UK government expressed that the death of any child is “tragic and deeply distressing for the family.”
Begum and her son were reportedly moved from the al-Hawl camp due to death threats following her statements to the media expressing her desire to return to the UK.
Shamima Begum’s Husband, Yago, Expressed a Desire for a New Life By Settling in Holland
Yago, the Dutch husband of Shamima Begum, who joined the Islamic State group in Syria in 2015 aged 15, has mentioned that he wants Shamima to return to the Netherlands.
Yago Riedijk and Begum married a few days after Shamima arrived in IS territory.
Speaking to the BBC, Yago admitted fighting for the group but says he now wants to return home with his wife and their newborn son (who died a few weeks later).
Mr. Riedijk is reportedly currently 32 years old. It was mentioned that he would face a six-year jail term for joining a terror organization if he returned to the Netherlands.
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In an interview with the BBC’s Middle East correspondent, Mr Riedijk said he rejected IS and had tried to leave the group.
Shamima also mentioned that he was imprisoned in Raqqa and tortured after the extremists accused him of being a Dutch spy.
Describing life under IS control, Riedijk also said he attended the stoning of a woman for “fornication,” saw piles of dead bodies in the city, and lost infant kids to malnutrition.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Where is Shamima Begum’s husband now?
Shamima Begum’s husband, Reidijk, is now in prison in Syria, where he is held by the Kurdish forces who captured him.
2. Where is Shamima Begum today?
As of today, Shamima Begum remains in the al-Roj camp in northern Syria, where she was discovered in 2019 after the defeat of IS.
