French woman and five children rescued from 12-year captive hell in Pakistan

​PESHAWAR, Pakistan — A 54-year-old French woman and her five children have been rescued by Pakistani authorities after being held in allegedly abusive captive conditions for over a decade by her husband.

​The dramatic rescue unfolded in the rugged, northwestern town of Bara, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the volatile Afghan border.

The Escape and Rescue

​According to District Police Chief Waqar Ahmad, the multi-year ordeal came to an end when one of the woman’s sons managed to slip away from the heavily guarded family home. The boy reached a local police station on his own, alerting authorities to the conditions inside the household.

​Police units immediately raided the mud-brick property, finding Sylvie Yasmina and her children confined to a dilapidated, crumbling room. Yasmina bore visible physical injuries on her face and body.

​Investigators confirmed the following key details regarding the family’s confinement:

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• ​Duration: Yasmina had been stripped of her freedom since moving to Pakistan with her husband in 2014.
• ​Abuse: Initial statements from the victim details a history of severe physical and psychological torture at the hands of her husband, whom police described as having an “extremely violent temperament.”
• ​Isolation: The five children were completely isolated from society and had never been permitted to enroll in school or receive a formal education.

​Moving Forward

​The husband was arrested at the scene, and formal criminal investigations are currently underway. Yasmina and her children have been relocated to a specialized women’s police station for their immediate physical protection and psychological care.

​In a video recorded by local police, Yasmina can be seen speaking a mixture of English and Pashto, expressing profound relief and thanking the officers for saving her family. She has explicitly requested immediate repatriation. Local authorities are currently coordinating with the French embassy to secure safe travel arrangements back to France.

​Activists have noted that domestic violence remains a critical, deeply entrenched issue across Pakistan. Rights groups like the Aurat Foundation have labeled this case a stark “wake-up call” for both systemic law enforcement and broader society regarding the invisible victims of severe domestic entrapment.

​If you or someone you know is facing domestic violence, help is available:

• ​US: Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
• ​UK: Call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline at 0808 2000 247.
• ​Australia: Call 1800RESPECT at 1800 737 732.
• ​International: Find regional helplines via www.befrienders.org.