Bradford fathers of missing children 'distraught' over fears mothers taking them to join Isis in Syria

Three sisters disappeared with their nine children after a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia

Sugra Dawood, Zohra Dawood and Zohra Dawood have disappeared with children as young as three (PA)

The fathers of the nine children feared to have been taken to Isis-held areas of Syria by their mothers are “distraught” at their disappearance.

Sisters Khadija Dawood, 30, Sugra Dawood, 34, and Zohra Dawood, 33, went missing with their children aged between three and 15 after going on an Islamic pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia from their homes in Bradford.

Balaal Hussain Khan, a lawyer acting for the fathers, said they “don’t know what happened” since they last spoke to their children on 8 June.

Clockwise from top left: Sugra Dawood with her children Junaid Ahmed Iqbal, Ibrahim Iqbal, Ismaeel Iqbal, Mariya Iqbal and Zaynab Iqbal (PA)

"The fathers are understandably quite distraught,” he added.

"The last conversation with their children was when they were in Medina on the 8th. They said 'We love you, we're missing you, we can't wait to come home'.

"They have been distraught, crying, they don't know what to do.”

Mr Khan said the men had been happy for the sisters to take the children on the trip to Saudi Arabia but believe they took a flight to Turkey last week, planning to travel to Syria.

One of their brothers is believed to be fighting with extremists in the country’s civil war and the fathers fear their wives will join him.

Mr Khan appealed for anyone who had information to come forward, adding: “If there are any friends of the wives or even the children who might have known about this trip, where they are going or if there has been any contact with anyone other than the family members, we are quite keen on you contacting either the police, my firm or the family directly.“

The group was reported missing on Thursday and police are carrying out “extensive inquiries” and working with authorities abroad to locate them.

Assistant Chief Constable Russ Foster, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "We are extremely concerned for the safety of the family and would urge anyone with information to come forward and speak to us.

“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.”

Police have conducted numerous arrests attempting to prevent British people from joining Isis and other extremist groups abroad but several people have slipped through the net.

Three schoolgirls who fled their homes in London in the spring half term were said to be preparing for "special missions" in the so-called Islamic State after their arrival in Syria earlier this year.

Some extremists have taken their families abroad and one posed with a picture of his baby son last year.

'Abu Yusuf al-Britani', understood to be West Yorkshire teenager Talha Asmal, has reportedly become 'Britain's youngest suicide bomber'

Estimates of the young British men in Isis' ranks range into the hundreds, including the militant known as Jihadi John who beheaded British and American hostages.

Talha Asmal, who called himself Abu Yusuf al-Britani, is believed to have become the UK's youngest suicide bomber after reportedly blowing himself up in an assault on an Iraqi town.

Additional reporting by PA