On 3 August 2014, a boy from Shengal called Celil Xelil was kidnapped by ISIS. He was 10 at the time.

Now, at the age of 15 he has been rescued by SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) in Baghouz, the last ISIS garrison.

Celil Xelil was among the rescued civilians in the village Baghouz. He learned that his family is in Hewlêr.

SDF sources said that the little Yazidi boy forgot Kurdish and spoke Arabic.

On 3 August 2014, Celil was captured when ISIS mercenaries attacked Shengal. He was taken to Syria and kept in Deir ez-Zor.

The young boy’s joy in being rescued could be seen in his eyes, when he understood that the SDF fighters were actually going to end his nightmare. Celil told the SDF fighters that there are still many women and children inside the village of Baghouz.

Celil, who forgot the Kurdish language and was speaking in Arabic to the SDF fighters, said that he was given to an ISIS mercenary’s wife to work for her. He said he had no news of his family since he was kidnapped. Asked by journalists whether he missed Shengal, Celil said: “I miss it very much.”

Celil was taken by the SDF to a safe area established for ​​the rescued civilians.