Saturday 19-April 2025 {HMC} 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 orchestrating attacks and recruiting for the Islamic State group (ISIS).
U.S. authorities describe Issa—also known by the alias Ummu Qaqaa Somalia—as a senior ISIS operative linked to suicide bombings and targeted killings. She is believed to have played a key role in spreading the group’s ideology and recruiting new members, particularly during ISIS’s expansion in Syria.
“She must be held accountable,” the U.S. Department of State said in a statement Thursday, appealing to the public for information on her whereabouts. Issa has been added to the global most-wanted list under the Rewards for Justice program.
Investigators also allege that Issa was involved in the 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 relocated to an undisclosed location, and their current status remains unknown.
Issa, who is believed to use multiple aliases, has not been seen publicly for several years. Her case has attracted international attention not only because of the extent of her alleged involvement with ISIS, but also for what it reveals about the global radicalization networks involving members of the Somali diaspora.
Analysts say her profile reflects a troubling trend: foreign nationals of Somali origin—often multilingual, mobile, and tech-savvy—being used to recruit and serve as key communicators within extremist networks.
Although ISIS has lost most of its territorial control in Syria and Iraq, remnants of the group continue to pose security threats globally. The U.S. and its allies remain committed to dismantling these networks and bringing operatives like Issa to justice.
