Baghdad, Iraq – Iraq’s First Lady, Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed, issued an urgent humanitarian appeal warning of attacks by Syrian Interim Government forces and ISIS mercenaries on Kurdish areas in Syria. She also highlighted the crimes being committed against innocent civilians. In her appeal, Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed stated that civilians, including women, children, and men, are being subjected to a brutal campaign by groups affiliated with the Syrian army, along with jihadists and ISIS members recently released from al-Shaddadi prison and other detention centers. She further noted a large-scale displacement of civilians to unknown locations as a result of the ongoing violence.
She called on the international community to take immediate action to pressure for a halt to the attacks and a legitimate ceasefire. She also warned of the humanitarian and political repercussions of the continued violence. She emphasized that every community has the inherent and equal right to life, liberty, and security, regardless of religion or ethnicity. The First Lady of Iraq added that information from the media and private sources indicates inhumane practices by forces claiming to represent the Syrian army. She pointed out that these practices are being perpetrated against defenseless civilians who have suffered for more than fourteen years from war and displacement.
Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed concluded her appeal by emphasizing that the responsibility for the current situation lies with the countries that mediated the agreement between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi. She pointed out that the agreement has not been implemented. It is worth noting that Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed is one of the most prominent human rights and social justice advocates in Iraq. She founded the oldest children’s charity in Kurdistan in 1991 and continues her activism in the field of civilian protection and advocacy for minority rights.
