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| Syria fears over Bradford family missing after Saudi pilgrimage | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Three sisters from Bradford are feared to have travelled to Syria with their nine children after going on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. | Three sisters from Bradford are feared to have travelled to Syria with their nine children after going on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. |
| The sisters and their children, aged between three and 15, were due back in the UK on Thursday, Khan Solicitors said on behalf of the family. | The sisters and their children, aged between three and 15, were due back in the UK on Thursday, Khan Solicitors said on behalf of the family. |
| Ten are thought to have boarded a flight to Istanbul in Turkey on 9 June. | Ten are thought to have boarded a flight to Istanbul in Turkey on 9 June. |
| Lawyer Balaal Khan confirmed concerns about them "travelling to Syria". West Yorkshire Police is investigating. | Lawyer Balaal Khan confirmed concerns about them "travelling to Syria". West Yorkshire Police is investigating. |
| 'Extremely worried' | 'Extremely worried' |
| There has been no contact since 9 June from mother-of-two Khadija Dawood, 30, mother-of-five Sugra Dawood, 34, and mother-of-two Zohra Dawood, 33, after they left Medina in Saudi Arabia. | |
| Their mobile telephones have not been active and their social media profiles have not been updated since then. | |
| It is thought the group travelled to Syria where a brother of the three sisters is understood to be fighting with extremists, according to the solicitors. | It is thought the group travelled to Syria where a brother of the three sisters is understood to be fighting with extremists, according to the solicitors. |
| Police neither confirmed nor denied the claim. | |
| Missing children | Missing children |
| In a statement released by their solicitors, the Dawood family said they were "extremely worried" and felt helpless. | In a statement released by their solicitors, the Dawood family said they were "extremely worried" and felt helpless. |
| 'Children's lives in danger' | |
| Mr Khan, acting for the fathers of the missing children, said: "One of the possibilities is they travelled to Turkey to travel to Syria. | Mr Khan, acting for the fathers of the missing children, said: "One of the possibilities is they travelled to Turkey to travel to Syria. |
| "The suspicion, and main concern, is that the women have taken their children to Syria." | "The suspicion, and main concern, is that the women have taken their children to Syria." |
| He said the fathers were "concerned that their children's lives are in danger". | |
| "[They] are distraught, they feel helpless and they don't know what to do. They want the children out of harm's way." | |
| Police were notified five or six days ago but were limited in what they could do because it was out of their jurisdiction, he added. | |
| West Yorkshire Police has contacted the Turkish authorities, however there have been no sightings or contacts made in Turkey, a country commonly used to as a route into Syria. | |
| The force said it was supporting the family and working "extensively with authorities overseas to try and locate them". | The force said it was supporting the family and working "extensively with authorities overseas to try and locate them". |
| Appealing for information, Assistant Chief Constable Russ Foster said: "Our priority is for their safe return; their families are gravely worried about them and want them home. | |
| "One of our primary concerns is the safety and welfare of the young children." | "One of our primary concerns is the safety and welfare of the young children." |