Meet the woman who left Sweden to help Yazidis flee ISIS

Aid worker Delal Sindy quit her job in Sweden and postponed her studies to go to Iraqi Kurdistan to help people flee ISIS, The Independent reported on Friday.

The 24-year-old, half-Swedish and half-Kurdish, left Sweden 10 months ago to volunteer after ISIS launched its insurgency across northern Iraq and Syria.

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Since then, Sindy has worked with a number of Yazidi women and children who have escaped from their captors after being sold into sex slavery. She has also worked with families who have been displaced by ISIS militants.

“The displaced that I am helping are mostly former ISIS captives,” Sindy told the Independent, adding: “Some of the women have been whipped because of their unwillingness to engage in sexual activities, clean ISIS’ soldiers’ wounds, or cook and clean for them. Some women that ISIS couldn't take advantage of sexually were shepherds or worked in their farms. Most women were abused sexually and raped on a daily basis.”

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According to the newspaper, Sindy works closely with Yazidi women and girls because many were apprehensive about approaching NGOs or aid organizations.

“They really do trust me and I do my best to help them in any way that I can,” she said. “If I can’t help them, I refer them to other NGOs working in the camps or skeleton buildings” she added.