Pakistani police rescued a French woman and her five children after she said she was held by her husband for more than 12 years and subjected to physical and psychological abuse in the northwest of the country.
The victim was identified as Sylvie Yasmina, 54 years old. She was rescued earlier this week from a mud-brick house in the town of Bara in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the border with Afghanistan.
According to police, the husband was arrested and investigations continue.
The rescue happened after one of the children managed to leave the house and reach a local police station. Yasmina and the children were taken to a police station specializing in women’s care, where they were placed under protection.
Authorities said Yasmina has expressed a desire to return to France and that the Pakistani government is in contact with the French embassy to discuss repatriation. Until the last update, there was no public statement from diplomatic representation.
In her initial statement, according to the police, Yasmina reported having suffered physical and psychological attacks and described her husband as a person with extremely violent behavior. Ahmad further stated that she and her children were found in a precarious room and that the woman showed visible signs of injuries to her face.
Yasmina told investigators that she has not been able to live in freedom since moving to Pakistan in 2014. Police also said that her children were never enrolled in school.
In a video recorded by the police and released to the press, Yasmina appears speaking in a mix of English and Pashto, thanking the agents for the rescue and reiterating her desire to return to France.
