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Letters home from French jihadists to their parents have revealed the misery, boredom and fear suffered by Islamist recruits as the glamour fades from their big adventure.

In a series of letters seen by Le Figaro newspaper, some of the 376 French currently fighting in Syria have begged for advice on how to return. Others have complained that, rather than participating in a noble battle, they have been acting as jihadist drudges.

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“I’ve basically done nothing except hand out clothes and food,” wrote one, who wanted to return from Aleppo, Syria.

“I also help clean weapons and transport dead bodies from the front. Winter’s arrived here. It’s begun to get really hard.”

Another writes: “I’m fed up. They make me do the dishes.”

One complained he wanted to go home because he was missing the comforts of life in France. “I’m fed up. My iPod doesn’t work any more here. I have to come back.”

Yet another wrote fearfully, “They want to send me to the front, but I don’t know how to fight.”