Deccan Chronicle

Two more ex-IS women not Brits

■ UK’S revocation of their citizenshi­p has raised questions on the fate of their kids ■ REEMA IQBAL, 30, her sister Zara, 28, have five boys under the age of eight

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London, March 10: Britain has revoked citizenshi­p from two more women who joined the Islamic State group in Syria, a newspaper reported on Sunday, raising questions about the fate of their children.

The revelation follows a row over a similar decision regarding London teenager Shamima Begum, whose newborn baby died in a Syrian refugee camp last week.

Reema Iqbal, 30, and her sister Zara, 28, left east London for Syria in 2013, and between them now have five boys under the age of eight, The Sunday Times newspaper said.

Citing legal sources, the paper said they had been stripped of their British citizenshi­p. The pair, who are of Pakistani heritage, reportedly married into a terror cell linked to the murder of western hostages.

The British interior ministry said it does not comment on individual cases.

A spokesman said: “Any decisions to deprive individual­s of their citizenshi­p are based on all available evidence and not taken lightly.”Begum, who married a Dutch IS fighter, was located by journalist­s in a refugee camp after fleeing fighting between the terror group and US-backed forces.

She had asked to return to Britain with her baby, after her two other children died under IS rule.

Interior minister Sajid Javid revoked her citizenshi­p amid security fears, but has been criticised for not doing more to help her son.

British law states that the government cannot remove a person’s citizenshi­p if that would make them stateless.

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