By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter
Washington, 17 September 2026 The United States has announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the location of Khadra Essa, a Dutch citizen of Somali origin accused of holding a senior position in an all-female ISIS battalion.
The U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice program said Essa, also known as Umm Qaqa al-Somali, served as the chief sharia instructor of Nusaybah Katibah, also known as ISIS-NK.
According to information released by the United States, Essa was born in Somalia and travelled to Syria in 2014 to join ISIS. While there, she reportedly received formal training in the use of weapons, explosives and suicide operations.
The United States has accused Essa of regularly advocating violence and encouraging other ISIS members to carry out attacks in several countries. She is also accused of teaching the group's extremist ideology and recruiting new members.
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Nusaybah Katibah was an all-female combat battalion established in Raqqa, Syria, in 2016. It was created to recruit, organise and train female fighters in various combat and military skills.
Essa is also accused of leading a group that violently enforced ISIS rules against women. Orders issued by her reportedly resulted in physical punishments, including assaults and killings.
The U.S. Department of State further alleged that Essa had several kidnapped or abducted children in her custody. In 2019, she reportedly held American siblings Yusuf and Zahra Shikder and moved them to an undisclosed location in Syria after their mother was killed in a military strike targeting ISIS forces.
The United States has not disclosed Essa's current whereabouts. It has appealed to the public for information that could help locate her, offering a reward of up to $5 million for actionable information.