Authorities begin operation in Maduvvari as part of counter-terrorism efforts

Maldives Police Service, is conducting a joint operation with the Maldives National Defense Force in order to seek out those supporting and spreading extremist ideologies among the people in Maduvvari island of Raa atoll.

While the island is deemed to have a large community supporting extremism, recruiting individuals to terrorist organizations as well as obstructing the rights of children and women, MPS and MNDF began the joint operation on Wednesday.

During the operation, officers will seek out the community on the island that has separated itself from the society by supporting extremist ideologies, expressing interest in joining foreign conflicts and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, neglecting their children medical rights such as vaccination as well as keeping their women locked up and imprisoned at home.

State Minister of Home Affairs, Ali Nazeer revealed that further details of the operation will be shared at a later date.

This comes at a time the issue of 13-year-old child bride who gave birth in the island, surfaced with the child’s parents having been arrested recently for negligence.

Reports of the 13-year-old child bride being raped and impregnated by a man, Ismail Hammadh surfaced during November and met with public outrage. He was attacked by crew members on board a sea-cucumber fishing boat over an ideological disagreement on 22 November. DNA reports have proven that the child is his. The rapist has since been remanded by 15 days.