French Woman and Five Children Rescued from Decade-Long Captivity in Pakistan

Pakistani police announced on Wednesday that they had rescued a French woman and her five children after she reported being held captive by her husband for more than a decade and subjected to years of domestic abuse in the country's northwest.

The woman, identified as 54-year-old Sylvie Yasmina, was rescued earlier this week from a mud-brick home in Bara, a town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border, according to district police chief Waqar Ahmad.

Mr. Ahmad stated that the woman's husband, Ahmad Khan, has been arrested and investigations are ongoing.

Domestic violence remains a significant issue in Pakistan. Human rights groups report that hundreds of women experience physical and psychological abuse from husbands and family members each year, though many cases are believed to go unreported. Scores of women are killed annually in Pakistan for violating conservative norms regarding love, marriage, and public behavior.

According to police, Ms. Yasmina was rescued after one of her sons managed to leave the house and reach the local police station. She and her children were transferred to a women's police station for protection.

Police chief Ahmad said the woman has expressed a desire to return to France, and authorities are coordinating with relevant officials and the French embassy regarding her repatriation. The French embassy has not yet commented.

In her initial statement, Ms. Yasmina alleged that her husband physically and psychologically abused her and had an extremely violent temperament. Mr. Ahmad told The Associated Press that Ms. Yasmina and her children were found in a dilapidated room, and she had visible injuries on her face.

Ms. Yasmina told investigators that she had been unable to live freely since moving to Pakistan in 2014. Mr. Ahmad noted that her children were never enrolled in school.

In a video recorded by police and shared with media, Ms. Yasmina spoke in a mix of English and Pashto, thanking officers for rescuing her and reiterating her wish to return to France.

Shabina Ayaz, director of the rights group Aurat Foundation, condemned the alleged treatment of Ms. Yasmina and expressed hope that the French embassy and Pakistani authorities would provide the family with all possible assistance, saying the case should serve as a wake-up call for authorities and society.