Former spouse of notorious Islamic State member 'Beatle' breaks silence, sharing her story

Dure Ahmed, a Canadian woman, has opened up about her marriage to one of the IS "Beatles" and her time living with him in Syria. Despite the global coverage of the Islamic State (IS) group's savagery, Ahmed claims she was unaware of her husband El Shafee Elsheikh's crimes. Elsheikh was part of a brutal IS cell responsible for kidnapping, torturing, and beheading Western hostages. Ahmed denies being radicalized and says she was just a "dumb girl in love." She wants to bring attention to the situation of women and children still trapped in Syrian camps. Ahmed was held in one of these camps for over three years. She now recognizes that her time with Elsheikh was a part of her life, whether she likes it or not. Ahmed says Elsheikh never disclosed his involvement with IS before she joined him in Syria, and she claims she didn't recognize the violent and controlling person he had become. Elsheikh, along with his fellow "Beatles," were responsible for the deaths of several hostages, which were recorded and shared on social media. Ahmed gave birth to two sons during her time in Syria and was repatriated to Canada with her children in April. She was arrested upon arrival and is now on bail with strict conditions. The court is currently reviewing these conditions. Ahmed insists that she was unaware of Elsheikh's role with IS and says she distanced herself from the events happening in Syria. She claims Elsheikh arranged everything for her to travel to Syria, and she had no knowledge of his activities there. Ahmed denies supporting IS and portrays herself as a naive romantic. She describes their life in Raqqa under IS rule as restrictive and claustrophobic. Ahmed alleges that Elsheikh inflicted violence upon her while she was pregnant but maintains that she tried to escape several times. She eventually left after Elsheikh divorced her and sought refuge with her children. Ahmed believes her children are fortunate to be alive, considering the violence they experienced. She hopes to speak with Elsheikh in jail once court restrictions allow and intends to ask him questions on behalf of the victims' families. Ahmed's main goal is to draw attention to the plight of women and children affected by IS and help prevent others from falling into radicalization.