Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 22, 2025

US woman sentenced to 20 years for leading all-female ISIL unit

US woman sentenced to 20 years for leading all-female ISIL unit

US prosecutors describe Allison Fluke-Ekren, a Kansas mother and former teacher, as the ’empress of ISIS’.

A US judge has sentenced a Kansas woman who led an all-female ISIL (ISIS) battalion in Syria to the maximum sentence of 20 years in jail, after Allison Fluke-Ekren pleaded guilty to “terrorism” charges earlier this year.

During a hearing in federal court in northern Virginia on Tuesday, Fluke-Ekren said in a lengthy speech that she took responsibility for her actions but spent most of the time rationalising and minimising her conduct.

“We just lived a very normal life,” she told the judge about her time in Syria, showing pictures of her children at a weekly pizza dinner.

Prosecutors described Fluke-Ekren as the “empress of ISIS”, accusing her of training women and girls as young as 10 on how to use automatic weapons and detonate grenades and suicide belts. Authorities say the 42-year-old also discussed carrying out attacks inside the United States.

After being captured in Syria, Fluke-Ekren was brought to the US in late January to face charges.




Her own children denounced her in court and described being physically and sexually abused by their mother.

Fluke-Ekren’s daughter said in a victim impact statement read at Tuesday’s hearing that a “lust for control and power” drove her mother to take the family halfway across the world to find the ISIL (ISIS) group.

She said her mother became skilled at hiding the abuse she inflicted.

She described an incident where her mother allegedly poured an off-brand lice medication all over her face as punishment, causing her face to blister and her eyes to burn. Fluke-Ekren then tried to wash the chemicals off, but her daughter resisted.

“I wanted people to see what kind of person she was. I wanted it to blind me,” she said.

Fluke-Ekren has denied the abuse allegations. She also portrayed the all-women brigade she led as akin to a community centre for women that morphed into a series of self-defence classes as it became clear that the city of Raqqa, the ISIL (ISIS) stronghold where she lived, faced invasion.

First Assistant US Attorney Raj Parekh said even within ISIL (ISIS), people who knew Fluke-Ekren described her ideology as “off the charts”.

Fluke-Ekren’s actions “added a new dimension to the darkest side of humanity”, Parekh said.




Fluke-Ekren, whose family is from the US Midwest, worked as a teacher in the US before leaving the country and subsequently joining ISIL (ISIS) in Syria, according to the Department of Justice.

ISIL (ISIS) controlled large swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria from 2014 until its territorial defeat late in 2017.

During that time, the group, which had declared a “caliphate” and inspired attacks on civilian targets across the world, attracted thousands of foreign fighters, including from Europe and the US.

Late in April, a US judge sentenced Alexanda Kotey, a United Kingdom-born former member of the ISIL (ISIS) cell known as “the Beatles”, to life in prison.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
×