IRBIL, Iraq—Iraqi Kurdish troops have rescued a Swedish teenager from the ISIS group near the extremist-controlled city of Mosul, the Kurdish government said Tuesday.
A statement from the regional government said the rescue operation by the Kurdish anti-terrorist forces took place on Feb. 17 near Mosul, 360 kilometers (225 miles) northwest of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
The statement identified the young woman by name, saying she is a 16-year-old from the Swedish town of Boras who “was misled” by an ISIS member in Sweden to travel to Syria and later to Mosul.
It also said the Swedish authorities and the teenager’s family had contacted the Iraqi Kurdish government and asked for help in locating and rescuing the girl from the ISIS.
The young woman is currently in Iraqi Kurdish territory and is being “provided the care afforded to her under international law,” the statement said, adding that she will be “transferred to Swedish authorities to return home once necessary arrangements” are made.
The statement provided no details on the rescue operation and did not say whether the teen was mistreated while with the ISIS group. The Associated Press does not identify minors who may have been victims of abuse or may be accused of crimes.
