Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Police: 43 British Muslim women and girls are in Syria "for jihadist reasons"

Sisters Sugra, Zohra and Khadija Dawood: Took their children to Syria in June
(BBC) UK counter-terrorism chiefs say 43 UK women and girls are believed to have travelled to Syria in the past year.

The Metropolitan Police figures are the first official count of British women thought to be in the warzone.

Security officials believe up to 700 people have gone to Syria to become involved in jihadist groups and about half have returned.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball said women who travelled might never be able to return home.

Women who travel to Syria for jihadist reasons cannot get involved directly in fighting. They are regularly married off to fighters.

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