IT all kicked off last night as the couples faced each other at one of the most intense dinner parties this series.

Gym owner Hannah entered the party to a frosty welcome as Polly and Holly refused to greet her.

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Laura Vaughan is The Sun’s new MAFS columnist[/caption]

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TV star Laura knows exactly how dramatic a dinner party can be[/caption]

Polly even went as far as to say that Hannah “rubbed her up the f***ing wrong way” and she would no longer acknowledge her.

Things went from bad to worse as Stephen refused to speak to his wife, prompting her to flirt up a storm with Orson.

Orson admitted he was ready to “let his hair down” for the next 24 hours after his marriage to Richelle had explosively combust.

Hannah cheekily told Orson that she would be keen to “snog” him at the dinner table, leaving the engineer smitten.

Elsewhere, Stephen said he was keen to purse a romantic connection with Sionainn after learning that she and husband Ryan had a row and spent the night in separate apartments.

To be honest, this is all sounding a little too much like Love Island and the couples should have more self-respect for themselves before cracking on with someone else’s spouse.

If you are as obsessed as Married At First Sight as I am, you need to keep reading, as I’ve got some thoughts…

Stephen’s crossed a line

Eroteme

The last episode of Married At First Sight resembled Love Island, if feels like everyone’s forgotten that they’ve gone on to marry their partner and everyone just wants to swap their current partner.

Obviously, I’m mainly talking about Hannah and Orson, which we already knew about.

But I’m also talking about Stephen and Sionainn.

Stephen did not come across well in this episode at all.

I think the way that he handled the situation behind Ryan’s back and then proceeded to lie to him about how he did want to recouple with Sionainn but didn’t, considering what he said at the boys day around the fact that it wasn’t a ‘swingers club’ and he would never do that.

He did not come across well in this episode at all and it looks like Ryan really still quite angry about it.

So I wonder if there’s going to be ongoing beef with them at the commitment ceremony.

Ryan looks like he’s still got plenty more to get off his chest and I predict it will come to a head at the commitment ceremony.

Major red flags

Eroteme

We also hear that Sionainn and Ryan have had some kind of explosive argument behind-the-scenes, but we don’t know what that was.

It seems to allude to the fact, that it was something that was said at the girls and boys day.

But to be honest, we didn’t see any issue with those two.

So I think there MUST be more to this!

I’ve also heard rumours that a couple leave the show to concerning behaviour.

I’m starting to wonder if that might be the couple that we’re talking about…

Can I pull your for a chat?

Eroteme

I don’t think Hannah is helping herself by overtly flirting with Orson at the dinner table and saying they should go and make out.

Last night, Hannah enjoyed a chat with Orson, where he told her he and Richelle were done.

Hannah then got cosy with Orson at the dinner table – where some flirty remarks were made in front of the other couples.

But I think they’ve applied for the wrong show.

It isn’t Love Island and I actually heard Orson say ‘are you going to pull someone for a chat.

I think these people have genuinely forgotten what show they’ve gone on and it is starting to look like they’re so desperate to stay on the show.

Those that are not in relationships are currently working out ‘we’ll switch to someone else, just just to remain in the experiment.

Save the couple swapping for another show.

Polly’s excuses

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Last night Polly refused to own up to her mistake.

During the girls catch-up, Polly decided to switch husband’s in the game and chose Stephen, claiming he had more emotional maturity.

When Polly told Adam, he understandably took it badly.

But it was Polly’s response which left me confused.

I don’t like the way that Polly handles her confrontation with anyone to be honest, especially with Adam at the minute.

She’s shouting at him, making excuses and not accepting responsibility for her own behaviour.

It’s time for her to be transparent and give Adam a proper apology without screaming it across the table.

Bride’s a no show

Richelle was not at the dinner party, which i found very interesting.

But I suspect she’s just done with Orson and does not want to get into a situation that will be full of drama with her husband that she really dislikes.

It’s game over for this pair.

Affair exposed

Eroteme

Eroteme

I wish that we saw more of the couples that are actually in good relationships.

We’ve hardly seen anything on Amy and Luke and we haven’t seen much on Kristina and Kieran and Sasha and Ross, and it just looks like among the mess of these hellish relationships, they’re getting lost and caught up in the crossfire.

The next ceremony, it looks like the affair with Hannah and Orson comes out and Richelle finds out.

So, I’m suspecting Richelle will obviously leave and Hannah and Orson will ask to stay in the experiment as a new couple.

But I’m more intrigued to see what will happen between Ryan and Stephen, because Ryan still looks very angry that Stephen made a beeline for Sionainn when he wasn’t at the dinner party.

It’s looks like it’s all about to kick off!

A GARDENING expert has revealed three vegetables you should plant now, so they’re ready to be enjoyed as part of your Christmas dinner.

Winter is fast approaching, and with the days getting shorter, and the weather getting colder, many of us will be looking ahead to the festive season.

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Christmas dinner will taste even better of the veg is home grown[/caption]

And what better way to prepare for December 25th than by growing your own vegetables to eat as part of a festive feast?

Although it is unfortunately too late to plant many Christmas staples such as carrots and parsnips, Craig Wilson, gardening expert and founder of Gardener’s Dream revealed that there are still plenty of vegetables that will be ready in time for the big day.

Potatoes

Potatoes are an iconic Christmas staple and Craig said that a few varieties can still be planted now and be ready in time for Christmas.

He said: “Varieties such as Charlotte and Maris Piper potatoes can withstand the cooler months which makes them the perfect choice for a winter dinner for their buttery and nutty flavours.”

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Potatoes can be planted now and harvested by Christmas[/caption]

Craig recommended planting potato seeds at least 20cm deep and keeping soil temperatures cool for the best results.

Radishes

Radishes are delicious when roasted alongside garlic and parsley in a Christmas dinner side dish.

And Craig revealed that they grow extremely quickly, so will be ready for harvest before Christmas.

He said: “Varieties such as Mooli or Black Spanish are winter-hardy and can be sown in October for an early harvest in December.

“When growing these for your dinner, the only responsibility is to ensure the soil stays moist to avoid a bitter crop.

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Radishes are delicious when roasted alongside garlic and parsley in a Christmas dinner side dish.[/caption]

“By Christmas, you’ll have a healthy amount of crisp and peppery radishes to add to your roast dishes.”

Rocket

Rocket will make a fabulous addition to any side salad, and now is the perfect time to plant it.

It should be shown directly into the soil, and thrives best in partial sunlight and moist soil.

It takes just four to six weeks for it to be ready for harvest, so if you plant it now it will be ready for December.

Some spinach varieties, such as Giant Winter of Perpetual can also be sown in October, and will be ready for your Christmas dinner.

Fabulous will pay for your exclusive stories. Just email: fabulousdigital@the-sun.co.uk and pop EXCLUSIVE in the subject line.

ROBBIE Williams has paid tribute to Liam Payne following his death aged 31.

The former Take That singer said he is overcome with “shock, sadness and confusion”.

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Robbie Williams has paid tribute to Liam Payne[/caption]

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Williams with One Direction on the X Factor[/caption]

Robbie has opened up about his own demons in the wake of Liam’s death on Wednesday.

The dad-of-one fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

FORMER Real Madrid defender Vinicius Tobias got his baby’s name tattooed on his arm… only to find out he is not the biological father.

Brazilian right-back Tobias, 20, and ex-wife Ingrid Lima welcomed daughter Maite into the world on October 8.

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In honour of her birth, the footballer had “Maite, I love you,” tattooed onto his arm.

But influencer Ingrid has now revealed they had an on-off relationship during the time of Maite’s conception.

And she has confirmed a DNA test proved Tobias, who now plays for Shakhtar Donetsk, was not the biological father of the child.

Ingrid’s social media post reportedly read: “I came to give a statement about something that is getting annoying and that, unfortunately, I would have to come out on publicly to give you an explanation.

“Vinicius and I haven’t been together for a while. During that time, I was in a relationship with someone and so was he.

“We both moved on with our lives. In the meantime, Maite came along.

“We decided to do a DNA test, and Maite is not Vinicius’ daughter.”

Tobias has not yet commented on the result of the DNA test.

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@iingridllima/NF/newsX

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She confirmed a DNA test showed her ex-husband Tobias was not the baby’s dad[/caption]

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Tobias was compared to Dani Alves and Trent Alexander-Arnold two years ago.

He first impressed fans with his swashbuckling displays in the U15 South American Championships in 2019 – scoring in the final against Brazil’s rivals Argentina.

Bayern Munich, Juventus, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid all registered an interest in Tobias.

However, it was Shakhtar Donetsk who won the race for his signature – paying £6million for his services.

Real Madrid then acquired him on loan in 2022 and he spent two years in the Spanish capital, making one appearance for the senior side.

He returned to Shakhtar for the start of this season and has played five times in the 2024/25 campaign.

@iingridllima/NF/newsX

PREMIER LEAGUE great Marco Gabbiadini revealed he had to stop exercising and watching football due to his heart condition.

Gabbiadini, 56, announced in May that he needs to undergo triple bypass surgery after discovering that his heart was “working at about 20 per cent” following a “slight issue” in his chest.

Dave Pinegar - The Sun

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The Sunderland legend noticed the issue after feeling “heartburn” while exercising in the gym and found out his coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart, had an 80 per cent blockage.

The Derby great is still waiting for the operation and the doctors ordered him to avoid any type of exercise – from high-tempo sports like tennis to mundane chores like gardening.

The former striker also needs to avoid any situation that could cause him stress, which means no more live football on the telly.

Gabbiadini told The Mail: “I have had to stop exercising, so I am probably in the worst shape I have ever been in my life.

“Before May, I was still playing tennis a couple of times a week, cycling, gardening, helping the kids with their house renovations.

“But the surgeon said, ‘Stop tennis, no gardening and don’t watch any football on the telly’.

“So I have been watching Sunderland games this season in full on YouTube after they have finished, so I know the score and there is no stress involved.

“Having to have that mentality when you are only in your mid-50s has been a bit of a shock. But at the same time, you have got to count your lucky stars.

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“Reporting it early meant I was put on tablets. I am on blood thinners, statins – eight different tablets to give me the best chance of getting to the surgery.

“To anyone reading this story, if you do have any issues, report is as soon as you can.”

After hanging up his boots at the age of 35, Gabbiadini turned to hospitality and now runs a B&B in York.

The ex-England Under-21 international’s Bishops guest house, which he opened in 2003, is now recognised as one of the best B&Bs in the Yorkshire city.

IF you missed out on Aldi’s wooden toy launch, don’t fret because Lidl has come to the rescue.

A savvy mum shared her hack for picking up the popular items at a reduced rate.

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TikTok user Samantha advised her fellow parents to check out the wooden toys available at Lidl[/caption]

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Samantha picked up a wooden railway set for her son for Christmas[/caption]

In her viral video, TikTok user Samantha (@samanthaproudmama) took her followers along as she purchased her haul.

She advised her audience to check out their local Lidl rather than buying wooden toys from reselleres for “triple the price.”

Samantha explained that she was looking for toys for her children for Christmas.

The TikToker pointed out how much calmer and quieter the shop was compared to the Aldi sale.

Samantha joked about how she was able to pursue rather than “battle the trolleys.”

She picked up a variety og items for her children in the toy section, including “dollhouse bits,” and a wooden till set.

“I am actually glad that I got here for 8:00 am because they only had one pizza oven so I managed to pick that up,” she explained.

Samantha also selected a wooden train set for her son.

She panned her camera around to show her followers the wide range of toys, which included kitchen sets, dressing tables, and an ice cream cart.

After checking out, the TikToker noted that she bagged some bargains.

She revealed that she was able to shave 10% off her haul using the Lidl Plus app.

“I think I managed to pick up pretty much everything I wanted,” she concluded.

Before signing off, Samantha said she was “super happy” with her haul, praising the quality of the items as well as their affordable price tags.

She advised her audience to follow her lead if they’re thinking about Christmas wish lists.

TikTok users shared their thoughts on the wooden toys in the comments section.

“I’ve just got back for Lidl. I rushed after school run and there was really no need. I was the only person looking at it. Secured all I wanted,” wrote one viewer.

“I’m actually so gutted I didn’t get the Aldi coffee and hot chocolate set but went into Lidl today and absolute bargain!” said another follower.

“I went this morning and it was literally me and one other couple. So nice, so chilled, got everything I wanted,” commented a third person.

“I really want the ice cream trolley, hope they have it when I can go!” said another commenter.

“Oh, I need to go and have a look, looks [like] a good selection,” wrote one viewer.

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The wooden toy range from Lidl includes various train sets, including one with dinosaurs[/caption]

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Lidl shoppers can also pick up a wooden dressing table and stool, complete with accessories[/caption]

BOSSES of a popular grocery chain are set to close another one of the retailer’s stores.

The Save-a-Lot location in Batavia, New York, which is about 35 miles from Rochester, will soon be gone.

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A discount chain is closing another location (stock)[/caption]

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The Save-a-Lot store in Batavia, New York, is to close[/caption]

Chiefs have called time on the outlet and its last day of business will be Saturday, according to The Daily News.

A note left on the store’s doors has informed shoppers about the pending closure.

Chiefs said the decision to close the outlet was made with a heavy heart, according to the poster shared on Video News Service.

Discount sales with items cut by up to 20% are being held today and tomorrow.

Chiefs thanked shoppers for their custom and said: “We are so grateful and hope we met your expectations.”

The note also thanked employees for their passion and hard work.

After opening its doors in 2011, the store has been a fixture in the community for more than a decade.

News of the pending shutdown has gone viral, leaving shoppers devastated.

Fans pointed out how the store was accessible to locals.

“This is sad because I know a lot of people who rely on walking to get from place to place,” one shopper said on Facebook.

“That is my grocery store,” another customer chimed.

Shoppers were puzzled that their favorite store was about to slam shut.

Regular customers admitted they were caught off guard while others slammed the decision, claiming it stunk.

The U.S. Sun has approached Save-a-Lot for comment.

CUTTING DOWN

The chain has over 900 stores in 32 states, but bosses have whittled down the chain’s portfolio.

Bosses closed the chain’s Lancaster, New York, outlet on August 31 – which was a week earlier than expected.

It had been a constant in the community for more than 20 years.

Shoppers admitted they were left baffled by the decision.

“I don’t understand,” one fan told the local NBC affiliate WGRZ-TV.

In June, The U.S. Sun reported how a Save-a-Lot establishment in Buffalo, New York, was set to close.

Discount sales with items cut by around 20% were held in the run-up to the closure.

In May, Save-a-Lot bosses closed an outlet in West Allis, Wisconsin, a 15–minute drive from Milwaukee.

Liquidation sales with items up to 30% off were held as bosses wanted to clear the last remaining stock.

And, a location in the Chicago suburb of Richton Park slammed shut after 17 years of business.

Earlier this year, a Save-a-Lot store in Memphis, Tennessee, closed its doors – and it wasn’t linked to financial underperformance.

Bosses admitted that the outlet closed due to crime, per the NBC affiliate WMC-TV.

The U.S. Sun has reported how a slew of major retailers have been impacted by store closures.

In recent years, execs of the renowned department store chain Macy’s have announced hundreds of stores would close.

A total of 150 will be closing over the coming three years.

The bosses of Conn’s Home Plus are closing hundreds of outlets after the beleaguered chain filed for bankruptcy.

A whopping 400 7-Eleven stores across the US are to close, while TGI Fridays’ chiefs shuttered 12 locations in a month.

A HEAVILY pregnant woman and her baby have died following a crash with an unmarked police car.

The incident happened on the A20, near the junction with Kidbrooke Park Road in Eltham, south-east London, at around 6.15pm on Thursday, according to the Metropolitan Police.

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The woman, 38, who was in the other car, and her unborn child died of their injuries (file image)[/caption]

London Ambulance Service, London Fire Brigade and London’s Air Ambulance all attended the scene.

A pregnant 38-year-old woman and her unborn baby died as a result of their injuries.

The next of kin have been informed, and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, the Met said.

Detective Chief Superintendent Trevor Lawry, in charge of policing in Greenwich, said: “My heart goes out to the woman’s family and friends who have lost their loved ones in these tragic circumstances.

“An investigation into the circumstances of this collision is under way by the Independent Office for Police Conduct and we will assist with their inquiries in any way we can.

“A road closure will remain at the scene today and I am grateful for the patience of the local motorists, who will need to use alternative routes.”

Two officers who were in the unmarked car were also taken to hospital following the collision.

They have since been discharged.

ANDREY RUBLEV has revealed that he nearly lost his testicle following his US Open exit.

The Russian tennis star, 26, was beaten in five gruelling sets by Grigor Dimitrov in New York.

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Andrey Rublev suffered a gruelling five-set defeat to Grigor Dimitrov in New York[/caption]

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Rublev, 26, has been speaking in Stockholm[/caption]

He subsequently withdrew from his next scheduled tournament in Hangzhou, China, citing “illness”.

Having since played in Beijing and Shanghai, Rublev is back in Europe for this week’s ATP 250 event in Stockholm.

Following his comfortable second round victory over Alexandre Muller last night, Rublev publicly revealed for the first time that he’d been hours away from needing his testicle amputated, having undergone emergency surgery.

“I don’t know how to call it in a smart way but I can call it in a funny way,” he began. “I almost lost my ball.

“I was super lucky because they say you have only five or six hours if the blood stops going there and then it’s amputation.

“I was lucky. I don’t know why I said, ‘let’s go to hospital just to check why I feel a weird feeling’.

“They checked straight away and they took me as an emergency to do the surgery and then they were able to do the surgery in three or four hours after the first feeling I felt.

“So they were able to do everything good and in the end everything is great.”

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He then incredibly revealed: “The last thing before they made me sleep, I signed the paper saying they were allowed to amputate my ball – that was the last thing before the surgery that I saw.”

Rublev returned from his ordeal in Beijing more than three weeks later, beating Pablo Carreno Busta and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina before losing to Bu Yunchaokete in the quarter-finals.

He then lost to teenager Jakub Mensik in his Shanghai opener before returning to Europe.

Rublev is in action in Sweden this week, aiming to bolster his chances of qualifying for next month’s ATP Finals in Turin.

He currently occupies the eighth and final place ahead of what is set to be a sprint to the finish.

The world No7 will meet 39-year-old Stan Wawrinka in the Nordic Open quarter-finals later today.

He is then scheduled to play in Basel, and at the Masters 1000 in Paris the following week.

STARVATION started to set in four days after 11-year-old Fawzia Amin Saydo was brutally kidnapped by ISIS fighters.

Handed plates of meat, she and dozens of other desperate women and children realised something was wrong as soon as they started eating.

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Fawzia Amin Saydo pictured as a child before she was snatched by IS fighters[/caption]

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Footage showed her being reunited with family[/caption]

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IS fighters pictured in Syria[/caption]

Having been barbarically left without food for days, they had little choice but to accept it.

As a feeling of sickness consumed them, murderous ISIS thugs revealed the truth: they had been eating the meat of slaughtered babies.

But that was just the beginning of the unimaginable suffering and inhumane conditions Fawzia was forced to endure for a decade.

Ten years of hell saw her being kidnapped from her home in Iraq, being bought and sold as a slave in Syria, and then ending up held captive in the Gaza Strip.

And she was finally rescued earlier this month after issuing a desperate cry for help online – with activists successfully lobbying for her release in a secret operation overseen by the Israelis.

After being held as a slave in one of the world’s deadliest war zones – brave Fawzia revealed her harrowing ordeal to The Sun in an interview with documentarian Alan Duncan.

She spoke of being held prisoner by Hamas – just like she was by ISIS – and said there was “no difference” between the two terror groups.

And she described the horrific conditions in Gaza, telling how she saw hospitals being used as Hamas bases by armed fighters and how she was beaten, abused and held captive.

Her lawyer Zemfira Dlovani told The Sun how Fawzia, now 21, has been left so traumatised, she can only recall around 15 per cent of her plight from the past 10 years.

She put the captive Fawzia in touch with ex-Brit squaddie-turned-filmmaker Duncan – who helped lobby for the rescue mission.

Fawzia contacted him over WhatsApp saying: “I am not safe. I am very afraid. What should I do?”

Duncan, who has spent years investigating ISIS’s crimes – speaking to both perpetrators and victims, said: “There were times she had given up hope she would ever be free.”

But now Fawzia can tell her story – giving a candid account of her ordeal, and compelling testimony about the crimes of both Hamas and ISIS – while still living in fear of terrorists.

Fawzia was one of thousands of the Yazidi people who were subjected to genocide by ISIS, with an estimated 5,000 murdered and more than 10,000 kidnapped.

She was just 11 years old when barbaric Islamic State fighters stormed her hometown of Sinjar, northern Iraq, in August 2014.

Men were slaughtered while thousands of women and children were abducted by bloodthirsty extremists.

Fawzia’s two brothers, aged seven and ten, were banished to a camp to be indoctrinated and trained as child soldiers.

Though they managed to escape, Fawzia endured years of violence and rape at the hands of vicious ISIS fighters.

She and dozens of other helpless women and girls were dragged to Tal Afar before being sent to Syria.

Fawzia revealed how they were starved for four days before heartless terrorists finally gave them something to eat when they made it to the city in northwest Iraq.

I always did what I was told because I was so young and very scared.

Fawzia

Speaking just after her release, she told The Sun: “They cooked rice and also meat and brought it to us.

“Because we were so hungry, we just ate what was on the table.

“While we were eating we knew something was wrong because the taste was weird but we just ate because we were hungry.

“After, we all had stomach ache and felt sick.”

Ruthless IS brutes then revealed their heinous act.

“When we were done, they told us that the meat was from the babies,” Fawzia said.

“There was a woman who had a heart attack at that moment and died.

“They showed us pictures of the beheaded kids and babies and said ‘these are the kids you ate’.

“It is very hard but it was not our fault, they forced us but of course it is very hard for us that this happened. Nothing was in our hands.”

Inconsolable mothers wept and screamed, realising why in Tal Afar they had been so callously separated from their babies.

One mother recognised her baby by their hand in photos they were shown, Fawzia recalled.

Enslaved by brutal IS thugs, Fawzia was hauled to the Syrian city of Raqqa in early 2015.

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Families walk through Al-Hawl refugee camp in Syria[/caption]

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She rushed to embrace them after years apart[/caption]

Iraq Ministry of Foreign Affaors

Fawzia pictured in the care of the Iraqi authorities earlier this month after being rescued[/caption]

She was imprisoned for nine months in an underground prison with around 200 others in vile conditions.

“We were held in the dark the whole time. We never saw the sunlight,” she said.

“We were in a prison, we didn’t do anything, we couldn’t go outside.

“We had to drink dirty water, some children died. It was a very tough time.

“These men came in and if they liked a girl they took them with them.”

Fawzia was bought and sold five times by remorseless IS fighters in the several years she was held in Syria.

The fifth man who bought her was a Palestinian ISIS militant more than ten years her senior.

The thug, 24, used drugs to rape a then very young Fawzia.

She said: “At the beginning, I would hide in the bathroom until he was asleep because I didn’t know what he wanted from me. I was scared. I didn’t want him to do anything.

“When he noticed I was hiding, one day he gave me drugs and I fell asleep and he raped me.”

He repeatedly physically and sexually abused Fawzia, and by the tender age of 15, she had given birth to a son and a daughter.

Fawzia became a devoted mum to her two children – despite still being a child herself.

In 2018, ISIS was finally driven out of its final territory Syria and she lost contact with her captor.

The young mum was then sent to Al-Hawl camp, which by early December 2018 held 10,000 people – later swelling to more than 60,000.

Notoriously grim Al-Hawl, which sits in the desert of northeast Syria, was also home to merciless ISIS terrorists and their families – including Westerners who went to join the caliphate.

When I was in Israel and I knew there was no Hamas anymore and I was free, I was very happy. I could breathe again.

Fawzia

Fawzia said: “ISIS women were very bad to me, they forced me to work for them.

“I always did what I was told because I was so young and very scared. They also tried to force me to be Muslim.”

Eight months after she was taken to the camp, Fawzia said she received word her Palestinian captor was in prison in Idlib, Syria.

Fearing for her children’s future as they would likely be rejected from her community, Fawzia went to Gaza to live with his family.

She was taken via Turkey and Egypt with a fake passport before being driven into Gaza in 2020.

Fawzia said: “The underground tunnel from Idlib was so tight, there was no air. Some people died. We then walked 31 hours to the next place in Turkey.”

But once in Gaza, Fawzia was subjected to vile treatment from her dead husband’s family.

She was regularly beaten and – under Hamas’ reign – was virtually imprisoned in their home.

Fawzia dismissed reports she had remarried her dead husband’s brother while in Gaza and told how she was kept under Hamas’ boot.

She said: “I was never free to do what I wanted. If I was, I would have gone out of Gaza earlier.

“I could not do that, I always had to stay under their control.

“There was one time Hamas held a gun to my head and to my side when I went outside with her friend.

“They said it was not allowed.”

Fawzia told how she was treated as a “sabaya” – or slave – by Hamas.

After Hamas’ atrocious massacre in Israel on October 7 and abduction of hundreds of hostages sparked Israel to invade Gaza, Fawzia was sent to work as a slave in a hospital.

She said: “All hospitals were being used as Hamas bases.

“They all had weapons, everyone had weapons everywhere.”

Fawzia’s rescue from Gaza was months in the making in a complex operation orchestrated by several individuals as well as authorities in Israel, the US, and Iraq – risking her life by communicating with them while locked in a terrorist state.

On October 1, she was finally freed from terrorists’ chains and eventually reunited with her family in Iraq.

But after her rescue was confirmed, Hamas concocted a statement claiming Fawzia had been willingly living in Gaza – and only wanted to leave because of the war.

Fawzia said: “What Hamas says is wrong, it is an absolute lie. I was never free, I was forced to stay in the house.

“When I was in Israel and I knew there was no Hamas anymore and I was free, I was very happy. I could breathe again.

“They were very bad, they forced us, they killed people, they forced me to be there. Why would I be there until now if I wasn’t forced to.

“These people who say it’s not true, it’s lies, that these things never happened to me, they should have been there instead of me, in my place, then they could talk about that.

“There is no difference between Hamas and ISIS.

“I didn’t believe I would get rescued until I did.”

But a heartbroken Fawzia declines to speak of her children, now five and six, who she has not seen for several months.

Her lawyer Zemfira Dlovani told The Sun: “When she was in Gaza, she didn’t have her kids with her anymore.

“They were taken, she didn’t have control over that any way long time before she left Gaza. They were not with her.

“We don’t talk a lot about her kids. She doesn’t want to talk about that, she is not comfortable.

“It hurt her of course, every mother knows how it feels to not with with their children.

“That was not her choice. It is not an option for them to be reunited.”

Dlovani said Fawzia is grappling with a mix of emotions after so long in captivity.

She said: ” When she came back [to Iraq], she wasn’t feeling well.

“You have to imagine, she came back to the place where she was taken from ten years ago.

“She came back, her father died three months ago and she was very sad about not being able to see him.

“The first week she was feeling good because she was free and could be with her family, but on the other hand, she was also very sad.

“She also doesn’t feel comfortable there still because this is the place she was taken from. And she is still in fear it could happen again. No one feels safe there. 

“She has hopes to build a new life – but she knows that life will not be in Iraq.”

Dlovani said it will take a long time for Fawzia to recover from her ordeal and process her trauma.

She added: “She was a very strong little girl. She realised very fast, okay if I do what they tell me, I will survive.

“She needs time to rest and time to clarify in her own mind what happened.

“This is only about 15-20 per cent of the whole truth of what she went through.

“She needs lots of time.”

Half of her life a slave of ISIS and Hamas – how can you recover from that? But I know she can.

Alan Duncan

Duncan told The Sun: “I had to say to Fawzia, ‘no promises’ – it was really really hard at times.

“Being ex-forces, I very much understood there were security concerns – we feared it could even be a set up by Hamas as an ambush.

“There was one night in particular – Hamas turned up and threatened her, her and the other girls were taken to hospital, and we feared they would kill her.”

Duncan went on: “But the main thing is she is now free to start living her life. Having dealings with survivors – I understand this is a step-by-step process.

“She is back with her family, back with the Yazidi community – and she can start rebuilding her life.

“Half of her life a slave of ISIS and Hamas – how can you recover from that? But I know she can.”

He added: “The Israelis saw her no different to one of their hostages, they said this was about humanity, and she was just another victim of Hamas – I can’t thank them enough.”

Duncan formerly served with the Queen’s Own Highlanders and Royal Irish Regiment.

He then fought alongside the Kurdish Peshmergas as a sniper to battle against ISIS.

And after the war was over, he decided to use his camera as his new weapon in exposing the depravity of the jihadi cult’s crimes.

His most famous story was the rescue of Naveen Rasho – a Yazidi woman who was held as a slave by ISIS in Syria.

One of Naveen’s captors – an ISIS bride known as Nadine K – has since been jailed in Germany for her role in the genocide.