Aqsa Mahmood
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aqsa Mahmood | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1993 |
| Died | February 2019 (aged 25–26) |
| Occupation | Student |
| Known for | Named on the UN sanctions list for activities relating to ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida |
Aqsa Mahmood (1993 – February 2019) was a citizen of the United Kingdom, from Glasgow, who stirred controversy in 2013 when she was one of the first UK women to voluntarily travel into ISIL territory in Syria, when she was 20 years old.[1] She was reportedly killed in February 2019 and has not been referenced or seen since.
Mahmood was born in Glasgow to Pakistani immigrant parents (her father Muzaffar was the first Pakistani to play cricket for the Scottish cricket team).[2] Mahmood attended Craigholme School for five terms before attending Shawlands Academy in Glasgow for a year.[3][4] At the time she left the UK for Syria, she was taking a course in diagnostic radiography at Glasgow Caledonian University.[5]
Mahmood's parents believe she was convinced to join ISIL by Adeel Ulhaq. They found out Mahmood was communicating with Ulhaq in May 2013, and her father told him to leave her alone.[6] That summer, Mahmood ran away from home and told her family she wanted to marry Ulhaq, but her family convinced her to postpone the decision to marry and to return home, as she hadn't completed her education and neither she nor Ulhaq had jobs.[4]
Her mother stated Mahmood had begun dressing more religiously before she left, and had wanted to wear the niqab. She had also become increasingly interested in politics and became emotional when she watched news reports about the Syrian civil war. [4]
In November 2013, Mahmood didn't come home one night. Her mother later stated she called Ulhaq's mother and asked where her daughter was, and was told Mahmood no longer wanted to stay with her family. Her mother then contacted one of Mahmood's university friends and was told Mahmood had gone to Syria.[4]