Counter-terrorism operation: second issue of pregnant child "bride" emerges
Maldives Police Service and Maldives National Defence Force launched a joint counter-terrorism operation in Maduvvari island on Wednesday morning
Maldives Police Service and Maldives National Defence Force launched a joint counter-terrorism operation in Maduvvari island on Wednesday morning
An issue of a second pregnant 13-year-old child bride has emerged following a special operation conducted in Maduvvari island of Raa atoll.
Maldives Police Service and Maldives National Defence Force launched the operation on Wednesday morning, over the spread of religious extremism; they are to continue the operation in seven other islands.
Four suspected extremists have been taken into custody since. RaajjeMV understands that these four are part of a community that lives in isolation in Maduvvari island. While the four are believed to work together on the same sea cucumber fishing boat, three of them are from Maduvvari while the other is married to a woman from the island.
RaajjeMV understands that the sea cucumber fishing is used a front to hide their work to spread extremist ideologies; they are to dock the boat in neighboring islands where they conduct such acts.
While one of the four arrested suspects has five children, a credible source told RaajjeMV that his eldest daughter has been wed “out of court” and reportedly pregnant.
The source said that the 13-year-old is to have attended school “regularly” until earlier this year, and that an official from the school is to have visited her to inquire on the reason for halting this. She is to have told the official did she did not wish to continue with studies.
While the 13-yo is reportedly a “second wife”, a team from the gender ministry is to have arrived in the island on Wednesday as well. This team is to have taken the girl to the island’s health centre where she is to have undergone tests.
Her siblings, three sisters and one brother, continue to attend school.
RaajjeMV understands that another suspect arrested has two children, and only the boy attends school.
The search operation in Maduvvari was prompted by the child bride case that emerged from the island in late November. While the the 13-year-old is to have given birth since, the story only broke after her rapist was violently attacked by his crew-mates on a sea-cucumber fishing boat over an ideological disagreement.
Authorities had searched of six households in the operation by Wednesday night, and had confiscated some items.
While the police on Wednesday night revealed that three suspects have been arrested in the Maduvvari operation, authorities are yet to confirm a fourth arrest.
