Mogadishu (LM) The United States is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the capture of Khadra Issa, a Dutch citizen of Somali descent accused of playing a key role in orchestrating attacks and recruiting for the Islamic State group (ISIS).
Known by the alias Ummu Qaqaa Somalia, Issa is described by U.S. authorities as a senior ISIS operative linked to suicide bombings and targeted killings. She is believed to have significantly contributed to spreading the group’s ideology and luring new members, particularly during ISIS’s expansion in Syria.
“She must be held accountable,” stated the U.S. Department of State in a statement released Thursday, appealing for public assistance in locating her. Issa’s name has been added to a global most-wanted list under the Rewards for Justice program.
Investigators allege that Issa was also involved in the care and concealment of kidnapped children. In 2019, she reportedly took custody of two American minors, Yusuf and Zahra Shikder, after their mother was killed in a U.S. airstrike targeting ISIS in Syria. The children were moved to an undisclosed location following the strike, and their current status remains unclear.
Issa, who is believed to operate under multiple aliases, has not been seen in public for years. Her case has garnered international attention, highlighting the complex global networks of radicalization affecting some members of the Somali diaspora.
Analysts note that Issa’s profile fits a troubling trend: foreign nationals of Somali origin—often multilingual, mobile, and digitally savvy—being utilized to recruit others and serve as key nodes in extremist communication networks.
While ISIS has lost most of its territorial holdings in Syria and Iraq, remnants of the group continue to pose threats in the region and beyond. The U.S. and its allies maintain an aggressive strategy to dismantle these networks and bring key operatives to justice.
