Shafaq News – Mosul
An Iraqi woman who lost her husband, her leg, and the sight in one eye in a single attack during ISIS’s rule in Mosul has spent the years since then trying to rebuild a life shattered in moments, according to Deutsche Welle Arabic (DW).
When ISIS swept into the Iraqi city in 2014, Ibtehal was pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Mosul alongside her husband, Saif. The couple held onto the hope of escaping the tightening grip of the group by relying on a falsified medical report that might allow them to leave the area unnoticed.
Their attempt ended in tragedy when an airstrike launched by an unknown party struck their car on the road out of Mosul, killing Saif and all others inside, leaving Ibtehal as the sole survivor.
The explosion inflicted severe injuries, yet relief was not forthcoming. Under ISIS control, hospitals refused treatment, and instead of receiving care, she faced a makeshift trial for attempting to flee. Authorities even prohibited her from leaving the city to seek the medical help she urgently needed.
After Mosul was liberated, Ibtehal finally managed to leave and immediately returned to her studies, enrolling in a PhD program at Tikrit University. She encountered a new challenge in the form of deep social stigma and what she described as a painful lack of acceptance toward people with disabilities. These obstacles prompted her to pursue both medical treatment and a fresh start in Germany.
Her arrival in Germany did not bring the ease she had anticipated. A year after applying for asylum, her request was rejected on the grounds that her professional background in mental-health work in Iraq and the judge’s impression of her as “strong” meant she could safely return. Determined to change the outcome, she appealed and spent three years navigating the process until she finally obtained residency.
Today, Ibtehal carries the weight of her journey with a determination to convert her experience into support for women with disabilities across Arab societies, while encouraging a culture of understanding and acceptance for those whose lives have been permanently altered by war.