Mona and Samir, a new chance

In August 2014, ISIS attacked the Iraqi town of Sinjar, targeting the Yezidi community. They executed men and abducted thousands women and children.  Mona and Samir, a mother and son. were amongst them.  Soon, 8 year-old Samir was separated from his mother.   Mona was sold as a slave in Mosul, and subjected to two years of physical, sexual, and emotional violence before her rela­tives found her and paid for her freedom. To protect her, they took her to Chamesku camp in northern Iraq. When we first met her, Mona was distressed and traumatised from her experiences and suffered horrible nightmares and flashbacks. She was terrified that she would be kidnapped again. At Doctors of the World’s Health Care Centre, she was referred to a mental health specialists to start treating the psychological wounds.   A year later, Samir was also found and brought to the camp to be reunited with his mother.    He had lived for three years under ISIS rule and been kept as a servant where he was subjected to severe abuse and propaganda. He was trained in methods of violence and learnt how to make explosive devices, how to use different weapons and witnessed torture, and beheadings.     When he first came to the camp, his behaviour was not typical for a child his age. Samir was had strong radical beliefs and no interest in socializing with other children or adults. Mona reported that he was aggressive at home and he continued to follow ISIS activities on social me...
Source: Doctors of the World News - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news