The Islamic State group has reportedly threatened to abduct the first Miss Iraq since 1972 if she does not join its ranks. On Saturday, Shaymaa Qasim Abdelrahman became the first winner of Iraq's national beauty pageant in more than 40 years.
Shortly after winning the crown, the 20-year-old from the northern city of Kirkuk received a disturbing phone call from someone claiming to be from the Islamic State group. The person told her that she must join the caliphate or she will be kidnapped and harmed, according to the Mirror.
The pageant's organizers said Abdelrahman was shaken by the threat but remained determined to "continue forward despite any obstacles," according to the Independent.
"I want to prove that the Iraqi woman has her own existence in society, she has her rights like men," she told NBC News. "I am afraid of nothing, because I am confident what I am doing is not wrong."
Backlash and threats from religious hardliners forced 190 contestants to withdraw from the pageant, leaving less than 10 women taking part in the final, according to Crave Magazine.
Pageant organizers attempted to appease some of those concerns from conservative Muslims by scrapping the swimsuit portion of the contest. However, the ban on hijabs was kept in place in hopes that it would help the pageant's winner qualify for the next Miss Universe pageant.
"Iraq needed this," said pageant director Ahmed Leith. "The situation is weak here, and we wanted to celebrate this the same way other countries like Lebanon and others do. To have a sense of normalcy."
After winning the pageant, Shaymaa commented: "I'm very happy to see Iraq going forward. This event was huge and put a smile on the faces of the Iraqis. The decision was popular with those in attendance, especially in the back rows, where young men with hipster beards and tight blazers had been standing on their chairs shouting her name."
