'It's going to be tearful': Yazidi family to be reunited after rescue from ISIS

A Winnipeg mother from northern Iraq will be reunited with her son this week, three years after the Yazidi family was separated in August 2014 when they were captured by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). 

Until last month, Nofa Zaghla, who arrived in Canada as a government-sponsored refugee six months ago, didn't know if her son was even alive.

In mid-July, 12-year-old Emad Mishko Tamo was rescued by Iraqi forces and reconnected with family after his photo was shared on social media.

Since then, the Yazidi Association of Manitoba has been advocating on behalf of the family and urging the federal government to reunite the mother and son.

"We are so excited that actually the government listened to us and did this in a month to do all the processing and bring him to Canada," said Hadji Hesso, the association's director.

• Winnipeg Yazidi refugee learns her 12-year-old son is alive after rescue from ISIS

Zaghla, Hesso and other members of the province's Yazidi community will welcome the boy to Canada on Aug. 17 at Winnipeg's James Armstrong Richardson International Airport.

"The community will be there, we welcome all the friends and family members and everybody who wants to join us," Hesso said. "It's going to be tearful, I know."

'He was jumping'

Hesso said he has been in contact with Tamo regularly since his rescue. Although Tamo has not spoken much about what happened to him while he was held captive by ISIS for nearly three years, he said the boy is thankful to be on his way to Canada.

"He was jumping," Hesso said about the moment Tamo learned the news.

"At first his questions were, 'Once I meet with my mum, would I have a bike?' So we got him a bike ready."

Aside from his mother, Tamo's family in Winnipeg includes four siblings and an uncle. The Yazidi Community Association is planning a celebration of the boy's arrival in the coming week.

However, Tamo's ordeal will not end at the airport.

Hesso said the 12-year-old suffered psychological trauma and bullet wounds while he was held captive and will require medical attention when he arrives in Canada.

• Ottawa moving quickly to reunite Yazidi boy with mother in Winnipeg

Although this story has a happy ending, Hesso said stories about Yazidi families being separated by ISIS are not unique.

"There are thousands of Emads, but it's one at a time," he said. "This is hopefully the beginning to bring more Yazidis and to help and support them."