Zahra Shikder, then 11 years old, and her older brother Yusuf, were reported missing from Hollywood, Florida, on March 15, 2015. The circumstances of their disappearance are complex, as it was not a typical missing persons case. The children were abducted by their mother, Rashida Sumaiya Shikder, who took them to Syria. The abduction occurred while the children's father, Bashirul Shikder, was on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Rashida Shikder left Miami, Florida, with Zahra and Yusuf and traveled to Turkey, eventually crossing into Raqqah, Syria, which was then a stronghold for the terrorist group ISIS.
A month after her arrival in Syria, Rashida contacted her husband to inform him of their location, stating that her passport had been taken, preventing her from leaving. Intermittent communication continued between the parents until 2019, when Bashirul was informed by his sister-in-law that Rashida had been killed in a bombing raid, and that his children had been injured.
Following their mother's death, it is believed that Zahra and her brother may have been taken by an affiliate of ISIS and could still be in Syria, or have possibly been moved to Iraq. As of March 2018, they were believed to have been in Sha'afa, Syria.
The case of Zahra and Yusuf Shikder is being actively investigated by the FBI. The U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice Program has offered a reward of up to $5 million for information that leads to the location, recovery, and return of the Shikder children. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has circulated an age-progressed photo of Zahra to give a more current depiction of what she might look like. The children are of Bengali descent and can speak both English and Bengali. Authorities are urging anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of Zahra and Yusuf Shikder to contact their local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.Last Seen: Mar 15, 2015
