British family of 12 suspected of joining Islamic State ‘all die in Syria’

Twelve members of a British family who were suspected of joining Islamic State (IS) have all died in Syria, a relative has said.

The Mannan family from Luton were reported missing in 2015 after they failed to return home from a holiday to Bangladesh.

Grandfather Muhammed Abdul Mannan, who was 75 when he disappeared, and his wife Minera Khatun died of natural causes, while three of their sons were killed fighting for IS, according to reports.

It is believed the remaining seven family members, including three unnamed children, were killed in an air strike as they tried to flee the last IS stronghold Baghouz.

Mr Mannan’s son from a previous marriage, Shalim Hussain, told the Mail Online: “They are all dead. It’s over, finished.

“We had been trying to find out for some time what had happened to them and it was only confirmed to us recently from Syria.

‘It’s a tragic end and we have drawn a line under it all and are now trying to get on with our lives.”

After the family went missing, their relatives issued a statement saying their disappearance was “completely out of character” and they must have been “tricked” into going to Syria.

“We are devastated by the disappearance of these 12 and are very concerned for their safety,” the statement said.

“This is completely out of character and we are very worried of the danger they may now be in.”

Mr Mannan and his wife had “health issues” and their disappearance “just doesn’t make sense”, the statement added.

“We can only think they have been tricked into going there, it is no place for elderly or young people,” the relatives said.

Mr Mannan and his wife Minera, then 53, went missing, along with their daughter Rajia Khanom, and sons Mohammed Zayd Hussain, Mohammed Toufique Hussain, Mohammed Abil Kashem Saker, and Mohammed Saleh Hussain.

The group also included Mohammed Saker’s wife, Sheida Khanam, and Mohammed Saleh Hussain’s wife, Roshanara Begum, and the three unnamed children, who were aged between one and 11 at the time.

Months after arriving in Syria, a statement was released by a British member of IS, supposedly on behalf of the family, saying they “feel safer than ever”.

Relatives said they had noticed no signs of radicalisation prior to the group’s disappearance.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman told Sky News: “We are not able to comment on individual cases. As long-standing FCO travel advice states, the government does not have a consular presence in Syria from which to provide consular support.

“The UK advises against all travel to Syria.”

(c) Sky News 2019: British family of 12 suspected of joining Islamic State ‘all die in Syria’