The United States government has announced a reward of up to $5 million for information that could lead to the location, recovery and safe return of two American siblings who were taken to Syria by their mother in 2015 to join the Islamic State (ISIS).
The siblings, Yusuf and Zahra Shikder, were reportedly taken out of the United States by their mother without the consent of their father, according to an appeal issued by the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) programme.
The department said the children were taken to Syria during the period when ISIS controlled large areas of Syria and Iraq.
“In 2015, U.S. siblings Yusuf and Zahra Shikder were kidnapped by their mother, who took them to Syria to join ISIS without their father’s consent,” the U.S. government said in the notice.
According to the appeal, the children’s situation changed following the death of their mother in 2019.
After her death, an individual identified as Khadra Essa, also known as Umm Qaqa al-Somali, allegedly took custody of the siblings. The U.S. government described Essa as an ISIS key leader and sharia instructor.
The State Department has now renewed efforts to establish the whereabouts of Yusuf and Zahra and secure their return to the United States.
Photographs of the siblings have been released as part of the appeal, including age-progressed images intended to help members of the public recognise them based on how they may look today.
The U.S. government said individuals who provide information leading to the siblings’ location, recovery and return could qualify for a financial reward and possible relocation assistance.
“If you have information leading to the location, recovery and return of Yusuf and Zahra Shikder, you could be eligible for a reward and relocation,” the appeal stated.
The reward is valued at up to $5 million.
Authorities urged anyone with credible information about the siblings’ whereabouts or circumstances to contact the Rewards for Justice programme through its secure communication channels.
The case underscores the complicated and long-running consequences of the conflict involving ISIS, particularly the fate of foreign children who were taken into territories controlled by the extremist group during its period of territorial expansion.
More than a decade after the siblings were taken from the United States, American authorities are continuing efforts to locate them and facilitate their safe return.
