ISIS widow tells native Belgium: ‘I made a mistake, take me home’

Kasandra Bodagh, a Belgian national who moved to Syria to live under the Islamic State (ISIS), now admits she made a mistake and wants her native country to take her back.

Bodagh describes her journey into Syria from Turkey, her early doubts, and the culture of fear in Raqqa during her four years in the de facto ISIS capital. 

Eventually, following the death of her husband – a bomb maker – Bodagh was able to surrender to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). 

She now lives in a camp controlled by the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ). 

Rudaw: First of all I want to know how did you hear about the Daesh organization. And how did you join it? You are originally from Belgium and you had a dream to establish an Islamic state in the Middle East.

Kasandra Bodagh: My husband was in to jihad and the Islamic faith for a while. Then he wanted to take jihadist path. One of his friends had gone to Syria and then contacted my husband, telling him: ‘We want you to come to Syria.’ He guided him through what to do. Then my husband went to Turkey and from there to Syria. After one month, I went to Syria as well.

What did you observe inside ISIS? Where in Syria did you stay most? What were your duties?

I stayed in Raqqa city for four years. My husband was working on explosive vehicles. It was very difficult [for people] to walk on the street. They were doing Kufr [religiously prohibited acts] by killing people. You could not live a normal life without fear. There was always something. They would not let you walk in the market.

When you were in Europe, you were told Daesh had a good project. But after you came to Syria and stayed in Raqqa for four years, what did you see from ISIS? What did ISIS mean for you?

My husband was very happy and he loved the Islamic State so much and wanted to stay with it. He would not say: ‘Let’s go to France.’ My husband did not listen to any suggestions. I even told my husband it would be better to go to France. My husband wanted to stay in Raqqa. He said: ‘I want Shahada [Islamic martyrdom].’ He was pious. I was having a good and normal life with my husband. I did not have any problems, but later I heard all the [bad] news and I was scared. I said: ‘I have to leave here.’ But my husband did not let me leave the [Islamic] State. So I stayed with my husband.

You said you entered Syria through Turkey. I want to know where in Turkey did you stay? Who did you contact within Turkey and how did you enter Syria?

I took a flight from Belgium to Turkey. We first arrived in Istanbul, then to Sanliurfa city where we stayed for a while. I spent a night in the vicinity of Sanliurfa, which was about one or one and half hour away from the Syrian border. Later I was taken to the Syrian border where I was spotted by Turkish police. I said ‘Salam Alayka’ and they responded ‘Wa Alayka salam’ without asking me to stop. They also gave me the papers and everything. If you just greet them, they will allow you to enter Syria.

You were married three times during the reign of Daesh. The latest one was with Abu Sulayman al-Jazairi, who was the emir of Daesh’s explosive vehicles. Where is he? How many children do you have with him?

My husband, Abu Sulayman al-Jazairi, died a year ago. I do not have children with him. He died in a car bombing near Raqqa.

Do you regret joining Daesh or do you still have faith in Islamic teachings and Daesh?

All the people who came here to join Daesh made a big mistake. I have left ISIS now and demand my country come and take me [home].

After realizing that joining Daesh was a mistake, how did you escape Daesh? How did you surrender to Syrian Democratic Forces?

My husband died and then came the Raqqa siege. I knew there was the YPJ [Women’s Protection Units]. Later I surrendered to the YPJ. After that I came to the camp.

After you escaped Daesh, you surrendered to Syrian Democratic Forces and YPJ brought you to Roj Camp which includes many wives of Daesh fighters. I want to know what your conditions are like in this camp and what you are waiting for? Why are not you returning to your country?

It is difficult because we cannot afford this. Everyone wants to have a normal life and have freedom. This is not life [we are experiencing]. We escaped from Daesh so that countries would take us. Previously, the Coalition would drop papers [from the air] in Daesh territories, telling people ‘if you escape Daesh, we will help you.’ Now we have escaped Daesh for about a year but we are still staying here. A promise has to be kept.

You are saying that the international Coalition distributed papers to people and promised to help those who escape Daesh. Now you are complaining that the international Coalition has not supported you. What demands do you have from your country?

Before the siege, they would send us papers in all cities under Daesh control. They would tell people ‘You have to flee to any other city [outside ISIS control]. Then came bombardments. If we escaped Daesh our country would help us. I also talked with Belgium from Raqqa. I told my government that I wanted to escape Daesh. My government told me ‘If you escape Daesh we will help you.’ I have escaped there for a month but where is the support?

Kasandra Bodagh, you are from Belgium. What demands do you want to send to your country through Rudaw?

Now I have escaped Daesh. I want to tell my country that I have made a mistake. I want my country to help me and come to take me [home]. I do not want my country to do nothing. I want my country to come and take me. I do not want it to come and talk then leave me here. My country, Belgium, said ‘if you escape Daesh we will help you.’ Now I want my country to take me.

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