An American woman in her 20s, Halima Salman, who was repatriated to the United States from Syria, is facing criminal charges for training with ISIS abroad. Court documents unsealed on Tuesday revealed that Salman is accused of learning how to use an AK-47 assault rifle from the terrorist organization while living in Syria.
Salman was one of 11 US citizens, all part of one family, from northeast Syria who were repatriated in what Secretary of State Antony Blinken referred to as the “largest single repatriation” of Americans from that region. A State Department official confirmed that none of the family members were former ISIS fighters.
According to court documents, Salman left the United States and entered an ISIS-controlled area of Syria when she was 17 years old, around late 2016 or early 2017. Prosecutors allege that once she turned 18, Salman received training from ISIS and was captured by or surrendered to opposing forces about two years later in Baghouz, Syria.
In 2023, Salman was interviewed by FBI agents at a detention facility in Syria, where she denied being involved in any ISIS activities but admitted to marrying an ISIS fighter. However, the FBI obtained information from a phone found in Syria that belonged to Salman’s husband, which contained photos of Salman with an AK-47 and in front of an ISIS flag.
The US has been working to repatriate Americans from former ISIS territory and has urged other nations to do the same. Currently, tens of thousands of individuals, mostly children, from over 60 countries remain in encampments in northeast Syria, including Al-Hol and Roj, according to Blinken.
