Omran Qarsli

When ISIS seized control of Manbij, Omran Karsli was working in a grain trading business he had inherited from his father. He also sold cell phones.

Both Omran and his brother were wanted by ISIS for keeping weapons in their home. When ISIS arrested his brother, Omran went into hiding. But ISIS promised that neither brother would be detained if Omran gave himself up, so he surrendered. At that point ISIS went back on its word, and detained both brothers. Thus began Omran’s three-year ordeal in the prisons of Manbij and Raqqa.

Omran describes him and his brother being transferred to the Stadium Prison. Before handing them prison uniforms, the guards forced them to strip naked. They also ordered the prisoners to shave their heads and beards each week. With a lack of shaving foam and only poor-quality razor blades available, the men’s chins and heads were often covered in cuts.

Omran talks about the collective torture they suffered. ISIS jailers would force the prisoners to stand in two rows for lengthy periods of time. To deepen their suffering, the guards would then order them to assume a half-squat position. Omran had begun to suffer from malnutrition, so his body could not withstand the stress. He often collapsed on the ground. The guards would then beat him with sticks.

Omran says the guards often took watches from the prisoners so that they would not be able to follow prayer times. The guards would tell them that they did not need to pray. Eventually, however, the prisoners managed to make out a distant call to prayer coming from the city.

Omran says the quality of food was sometimes acceptable. This may have been due to an order by al-Baghdadi, which demanded two and a half dollars be spent on food per inmate. But ISIS later punished the prisoners by giving them only one poor-quality meal a day, consisting of lentils, soup, or pasta. The prisoners were forced to eat the food, and many would later vomit in the bathroom. 

Omar describes how ISIS jailers deliberately deceived prisoners as a form of psychological torture. For example, they would tell those summoned for transfer to another prison that they were going to be executed.

This happened to Omar himself. After being transferred to the Maskana Prison, he was told he was going to die. In actual fact, he was to be released in a prisoner exchange. He only realized this when his blindfold was removed and he was met by soldiers of the Free Syrian Army (FSA). It still took him a while to believe that he was finally free. It was when he saw the people in the streets that he understood that he was no longer in an area under ISIS control.

Omran concludes his testimony by discussing the lasting effects of his imprisonment. He narrates how, upon waking one morning, he instinctively stood against the wall, thinking he was still in prison. He also mentions the physical weakness and recurring infections he suffers, saying his teeth have started to fall out. He also describes how, at times in prison, he would wet himself, as his psychological state was so delicate.

In the end, Omran thanks and praises God for answering his prayers and helping him through such a terrible time.