Swede's Trial Over IS Linked Atrocities in Raqqa

Lina Laina Ishaq, a Swedish citizen, faces trial in Sweden for genocide and war crimes against Yazidis, committed while associated with the Islamic State in Raqqa between 2014 and 2016. This marks Sweden's first trial on IS’s crimes against the Yazidi people. Ishaq denies the charges.

Lina Laina Ishaq, a 52-year-old Swedish citizen, has gone on trial in Sweden, charged with genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity during her time affiliated with the Islamic State group in Raqqa, Syria. Her alleged crimes predominantly targeted Yazidi women and children, who were brutally oppressed under IS rule.

This trial is significant as it represents the first time Sweden is adjudicating cases relating to the Islamic State's horrific attacks against the Yazidi community, one of the ancient religious minorities in Iraq. The proceedings, set to stretch over two months, delve into atrocities committed between 2014 and 2016 in Raqqa, which served as IS's main hub.

Prosecutors claim Ishaq mistreated Yazidis, attempting to annihilate their ethnic group. She is accused of holding them as slaves, subjecting them to abuses, and even selling individuals to IS. While Ishaq refutes these allegations, her former conviction for taking her child to Syria with IS connections adds a layer of complexity to the case, currently unfolding in Stockholm District Court.

(With inputs from agencies.)