Peshawar: A 54-year-old French woman and her five children have been rescued by Pakistani authorities after allegedly enduring more than 12 years of captivity at the hands of her husband in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to media reports.
The woman, identified as Sylvie Yasmina, had reportedly moved from Australia to Pakistan with her family in 2014. Since then, she and her children were allegedly confined inside a house in Bara town, where they lived in isolation under harsh conditions.
A French woman and her five children have been rescued in Pakistan after she allegedly spent more than 12 years in captivity at the hands of her husband
Sylvie Yasmina (54) told police the family moved from Australia to Pakistan in 2014, after which she and her children were… pic.twitter.com/VVoeuvT1MT
— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) June 24, 2026
Pakistani Husband Arrested
Police have arrested Yasmina’s Pakistani husband following the rescue operation. Authorities have shifted the woman and her children to a government shelter in Peshawar, where they are receiving medical care, protection and other support services.
#Gravitas | Police in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province say they have rescued a French woman and her five children after she alleged that her husband held them captive for more than a decade and subjected them to years of physical and psychological abuse@MollyGambhir tells… pic.twitter.com/Whzn0zFLcc
— WION (@WIONews) June 25, 2026
Son’s Escape Leads to Rescue
The alleged ordeal came to light after one of Yasmina’s sons managed to escape from the house and approached police seeking help. Acting swiftly on the complaint, law enforcement officials raided the premises and rescued the family from what was described as a rundown room.
Investigators said the victims bore visible bruises and other signs of physical abuse, indicating prolonged mistreatment.
Years of Isolation and Lost Education
During questioning, Yasmina alleged that she had been prevented from communicating with anyone outside the household throughout the years of captivity.
She also claimed that her children were denied access to education. According to her statement, the family’s two eldest children were forced to discontinue their studies, while the three younger children were never enrolled in school.
Return to France Planned
Following their rescue, Yasmina and her children are reportedly preparing to return to France, bringing an end to what investigators describe as a decade-long ordeal. Police are continuing their investigation into the case.
