Baghdad [Iraq]: An Iraq court has sentenced 19 women from Russia to life imprisonment after they were found “joining and supporting” the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group. According to Iraq’s Al Sumaria broadcaster, the ruling was issued by the Central Criminal Court of Iraq, Sputnik reported.
As per media reports, over 60 Russian women, who were held, are awaiting trial in Iraq for their alleged ties to the dreaded militant group. On April 17, three women, including two Russian citizens and one French national, were sentenced to life imprisonment for their alleged ties with the IS.
According to experts, there are nearly 20,000 people, who are behind bars for their alleged involvement with the terror group. However, the Iraq government has not released official figures yet. Thousands of foreigners have fought on behalf of the IS in Iraq and Syria since 2014. Many foreign women came or were brought from overseas to join the militants.
In December, Iraq declared victory over the IS, which had seized control of nearly a third of the country in 2014.
-ANI