THREE sisters and their nine young children are suspected of fleeing England to join Islamic State jihadists in Syria.

Sugra Dawood, 34, Zohra Dawood, 33, and Khadija Dawood, 30, whose children are aged three to 15, disappeared after going on an Islamic pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia on May 28.

The Dawoods were due to return home on June 11 but are believed to have flown from Saudi Arabia to Turkey before crossing into Syria.

Police suspect the sisters, from Bradford, followed in the footsteps of their 21-year-old brother who allegedly went to the war-torn country two years ago to fight with ISIS.

West Yorkshire police said in a statement: “We have received information that contact has been made with the family in the UK which suggests one of the missing adults may be in Syria.

“Contact has been made by one of the missing women and there is an indication that they may have already crossed the border into Syria but this is uncorroborated.”

Two of the fathers whose wives and children went missing have made tearful appeals for their return.

“All of you, I can’t live without you,” said Akhtar Iqbal, husband of Sugra Dawood at an emotional press conference on Tuesday.

Mohammed Shoaib, husband of Khadija Dawood, said: “Please contact me whenever you want. Please come back.”

Zohra Dawood’s husband is currently in Pakistan, British media reported.

Balaal Khan, a lawyer for the children’s fathers, said the sisters were believed to have a relative fighting for either the Islamic State group or another extremist organisation in Syria, and it was feared that they have gone to see him.

The counterterrorism unit of the regional police force is leading the investigation.

Assistant Chief Constable Russ Foster of West Yorkshire Police, said: “The choice of returning home from Syria is often taken away from those under the control of Islamic State, leaving families in the UK devastated and with very few options to secure their loved ones safe return.”

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