Two female Italian aid workers who ignored their parents’ pleas and snuck into Syria have been kidnapped by Islamist militants

Greta Ramelli, 20, and Vanessa Marzullo, 21, were working in city of Aleppo

They have been involved in humanitarian projects in Syria since 2012



Unknown Islamist group believed to have taken the women to nearby village

Italian foreign ministry says it is working 'belly to the ground' to find them

Miss Marzullo's father Salvatore has spoken of 'torment' of the abduction

Begged daughter not to travel to Syria but she insisted on helping refugees



Two female Italian aid workers have been kidnapped by Islamist militants in northern Syria.



Greta Ramelli, 20, and Vanessa Marzullo, 21, were working on humanitarian projects in the embattled city of Aleppo the Italian foreign ministry said, admitting that contact with the women is 'impossible'.

Today Salvatore Marzullo, the father of Vanessa, spoke of his 'sickening' fear for his daughter's safety, as Italy's deputy foreign minister said the country is working 'belly to the ground' to find them.

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Abducted: Vanessa Marzullo, 21 (left) and Greta Ramelli, 20, (right) were working on humanitarian projects in Syria, the Italian foreign ministry said, admitting that contact with the women is 'impossible'

Support: Today Salvatore Marzullo, the father of Vanessa (left), spoke of his 'sickening' fear for his daughter's safety, as Italy's deputy foreign minister said the country is working 'belly to the ground' to find them

The group that has kidnapped Miss Ramelli and Miss Marzullo have not yet been formally identified, but Jordanian newspaper Assabeel was quoted as saying investigators believe they an armed Islamist group which has previously kidnapped Western activists and journalists.

Although official details of the kidnapping remain sketchy, the newspaper cites a local activist as saying the women were kidnapped on August 1 and taken to the town of El Ismo, west of Aleppo where they were transported to the home of the head of the local 'Revolutionary Council'.

The newspaper claimed the activist told them that details of the abduction came from Italian journalist Daniele Raineri of Il Foglio, who they say was taken along with the woman but managed to escape.

Speaking to the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera today, Miss Marzullo's father said he had pleaded with his daughter not to travel to Syria to distribute aid, but she had insisted on doing so.

Conflict zone: The two Italian aid workers were kidnapped in the north Syrian city of Aleppo

Friends: While Vanessa Marzullo (left) and Greta Ramelli (right) were studying at the University of Milan, their interest in activism grew - as did their desire to travel to Syria and help refugees

Apparently speaking in a voice cracked with emotion and anxiety, Salvatore Marzullo said: 'What could I do? Vanessa is an adult, a golden girl, brave and responsible. I tried to reason with her, I tried to convince her in every way I could not to do what she had in mind.'

'But when you realize that all your talk, your thoughts, and eventually all your prayers are not heard, what can you do?,' he added.

'I could not stop her from doing what she wanted. It's not like you can take a person and tie them down. Tell me what I had to do. Was I wrong? I had to tie her down?,' he went on to say.

Mr Marzullo said his daughter had long sympathised with the plight on Syrians and had taken part in a number of protests and demonstrations in her home city of Bergamo.

While studying Linguistic and Cultural Mediation at the University of Milan, her interest in activism grew - as did her desire to travel to Syria and help.



Mr Marzullo said the family - including younger brother Mario - tried to convince the 21-year-old to stay in Italy and set up a foundation, but she said it wouldn't be enough and that she must do more.



Location: Syrians gather at the site of a reported barrel-bomb attack by government forces yesterday. The two Italian aid workers were kidnapped in the city on August 1

Activist: Salvatore Marzullo said his daughter Vanessa (right) had long sympathised with the plight on Syrians and had taken part in a number of protests and demonstrations in her home city of Bergamo

Headstrong: Salvatore Marzullo said his family tried to convince Vanessa (right) to stay in Italy and set up a foundation, but she said it wouldn't be enough and that she must do more to help Syrians

According to their Facebook pages, the two women have made several visits to Syria since 2012.

On their latest trip they flew to Turkey before sneaking into Syria through Atma - a huge refugee camp on the border between the two countries - according to La Stampa.

Miss Ramelli's most recent Facebook update was on July 31 and showed a picture of a young boy holding a rifle in a heavily shelled area of Aleppo.

Meanwhile Miss Marzullo's latest post read: ' Red, red like that crib, and in the crib the battered little body of the girl of Aleppo whose legs were pulverised by an explosion.'



'Red like the bloodstains encrusted on the walls and the floor - in the corner of the room where you have been tortured until you want to die, until you die in an unspeakably horrible way,' she added.

Miss Ramelli and Miss Marzulo are not the only Italian citizens held by militants around the world.