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A male model who fled to Syria to join ISIS has reportedly been killed while fighting in the war-torn country.

Sharky Jama, 25, from Melbourne, Australia, is reported to have been shot dead and members of his family have paid tribute to him online.

But the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has said it is unable to confirm his death as it no longer has an official presence in the country.

Somalian-born Sharky worked had been a budding model and is featured in a series of shots for Australian firm FRM Management.

But he left his life in Australia to join ISIS last year.

Sharky's father Dada Jama confirmed his son's death to Australian radio station SBS through Somalian presenter Ibrahim Mohamed.

Mohamed said: "He got a text message and he received a phone call from Syria, someone has told him his son has passed away.

"Then he said I tried his number, because he has contact with his son.

"Automatically, it goes to voicemail, that’s what he said, and then he knew that his son is gone."

Relatives of the 25-year-old paid tribute to Sharky and posted childhood pictures of him on Facebook.

Cousin Saed Van Riel said: "To my beautiful cousin, the lessons learnt in your presence where priceless in any capacity the childhood memories we shared invaluable you'll be greatly missed for you where great in every shade of light.

"To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. Every soul shall have a taste of death, then to us you will be ultimately returned."

Cousin Habiba Warsame, added: "May Allah bless your soul”

Australia recently raised its terror threat to high for the first time as a report suggested a high number of citizens travelling to Syria and Iraq posed a "serious national security threat".