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Mothers from Syria today issued an emotional plea to British women not to travel to join Islamic State as new figures revealed 56 fled to the warn torn country last year.

Counter terror officers said they were “deeply concerned” at the number of women, young girls and “whole families” travelling to Syria.

Figures showed an increase on a previous number of 43 women who were reported missing in a 12 month period between July 2014 and June 2015.

Today, three Syrian refugee mothers who fled the country with their families, made an emotional appeal to women in Britain saying: “Why take your children to a war zone.”

The refugees, who arrived in the UK last year, are featured in a short film talk talking about the realities of life in their home country.

The women have also written open letters urging British mothers to take steps to prevent their daughters travelling to the war-zone.

Helen Ball, the senior national coordinator for counter terrorism policing in the UK, said: “We are deeply concerned about the number of women, girls and whole families who are making the decision to travel to Syria.

“They are unaware of the dangers they face when they get there and the reality of living in a war torn country.

“They are unaware that they may not be able to return to their families and they leave behind devastated friends and families.”

She added: “The personal accounts of the women in this film highlight the harsh reality of life for women and children living in a war torn country. I hope they will go some way to helping young women and mothers stop and think about the huge mistake they would be making if they travel.

“This film provides credible voices that describe the realities of the situation in Syria actually is.”

Figures released last year showed that police believe 60 British women and girls have travelled to Syria, with most being under the aged of 20.

They include Bethnal Green Academy schoolgirls Shamima Begum and Amira Abase, both 15, and Kadiza Sultana, 16, all straight A students, who fled to Syria to join the terror group nearly a year ago. Some are now thought to be married to Isis extremists.

Another mother who travelled from Britain is Grace ‘Khadijah’ Dare, 24, from Lewisham, who fled to join Islamic State with her young son Isa three years ago.

Her son was recently identified by his family as the child dressed in military fatigues who appeared in a new Islamic State propaganda video featuring a number of executions.

Speaking in the counter terror film released today one woman, named only as Isaaf, said : “Your children are now living in security, are provided with schools, a nice life and a beautiful future. So why take them to a war zone.

“As a mother and a person who has lived through the war in Syria, your children’s future here is better, life here is much better than if you go to Syria.”

Another mother, called Fatten, said: “We were living in Syria under very bad circumstances and it was getting worse by the day. My son could not get the medical treatment he so urgently needed.

“We took the hard decision to leave our country because we felt that things were going from bad to worse.”

A third mother, Zakaa, said: “There are children who have lost their mothers, their fathers, someone to provide them with both medicine and food.

“I would like to say to women who want to go to our country that it is the wrong place to bring up children.”

The film, developed in association with the charity Families Against Stress and Trauma, will be posted on the Prevent website today.

Ms Ball, a deputy assistant commissioner with the Met, said anyone worried about a loved one travelling to Syria should call specially trained police officers on 101 or visit www.preventtragedies.co.uk.