3 British Sisters Suspected to Have Fled To Syria With Their Children

Three British sisters are suspected of traveling to Syria with their children after a religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. Khadija, Sugra and Zohra Dawood were scheduled to return to the United Kingdom on June 11, but instead, they boarded a flight to Turkey on June 9. The fear is that they will cross to Syria, as Turkey is an extremely common entry point into Syria.

Reportedly, the husbands of the sisters had spoken to them on June 8, and had no indication that that their wives with their children, who range between 3 and 15 years old would make the venture to Turkey and then on to Syria. Even the husbands of the women are confused, according to them, there had been no indication that their wives had been radicalized, even with having a brother who is an extremist and has lived in Syria since 2014. The husbands also state that they follow a moderate version of Islam, and are non-political.

In the meantime, the West Yorkshire Police are trying to work with counterterrorism units and Turkish authorities to track down the family and bring them home safely.

This is not the United Kingdom’s first problem with this sort of thing this year. Earlier this year, three teenage girls from London flew to Istanbul, Turkey and travelled to Syria to join the Islamic State. Shamine Begum, 15, Kadiza Sultana, 16 and another 15 year old were searched for thoroughly by Scotland Yard and Turkish officials, but have yet to be found. It is assumed that they are in Syria with the Islamic State.