GETTY Girls as young as 12 have been married off to older men in Syria

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It comes amid fears of a paedophilia epidemic inside European refugee camps after a pregnant 14-year-old girl went missing from a Dutch centre. Fatema Alkasem disappeared along with her 24-year-old husband in August and police are concerned the Syrian girl needs medical care. The Netherlands is facing an issue of providing asylum to young girls who are married in their homeland but are below the Dutch age of consent.

DUTCH POLICE Alkasem went missing in August and police fear she needs medical attention

Dutch asylum centres are reportedly housing 20 child brides aged between 13 and 15, while three a week on average are arriving to the country. The brides were granted legal permission to join their older partners after the country recognised marriages involving young teenagers if they are officially registered in their home country.

A 12-year-old girl with a 40-year-old man - that is not a marriage, that is abuse Attje Kuiken

But some have slammed the recognition by Dutch authorities, claiming it condones paedophilia because the age of sexual consent in the Netherlands is 16. Outraged Dutch Labour MP Attje Kuiken said: "A 12-year-old girl with a 40-year-old man - that is not a marriage, that is abuse. "We're talking about really young children, girls 12, 13 years old. I want to protect these children."

AFP Dutch authorities plan to change the laws on young bride asylum seekers

The Dutch government is amending family laws so that reunification applications only accept marriages when both partners are at least 18-years-old. But Ms Kuiken called on the government to do more for young Syrian brides until the law is changed in December. According to Breitbart she said: "The government should take them into foster care and protect them, because before the new law comes into force, they can still be subject to abuse.

Refugees seek peace in war torn Syria Tue, July 11, 2017 Devastating images of Syrian refugees seeking peace on their journey to Europe. Play slideshow REUTERS 1 of 53 Displaced people from the minority Yazidi sect, fleeing violence from forces loyal to the Islamic State