CCTV FOOTAGE HAS emerged which appears to show the three British schoolgirls in Turkey, on their way to join Islamic State in Syria.
Shamima Begum, 15, Kadiza Sultana, 17, and Amira Abase, also 17 left their London homes on 17 February and boarded a flight from London to Istanbul. Last week, police in the UK said they had reason to believe that the girls were no longer in Turkey and had crossed into Syria.
These CCTV images show the girls waiting at a bus station in Bayrampasa in Turkey in the day they went missing – for almost 18 hours.
BBC reports the girls waited in the offices of two bus companies at this station before they got on a bus to Urfa, which is close to the Syrian border, on 18 February.
It is thought they were taken from there across the border by people smugglers.
‘You don’t have to put yourself in danger’
Families of the three schoolgirls have been appealing for them to come home.
Last week, Amira Abase’s family said she is “strong, smart, beautiful” and they are hoping she will make the right decision.
The family of Shamima Begum, who is just 15, stressed they were not mad at her, they just wanted her home safe.
We understand that you have strong feelings and want to help those you believe are suffering in Syria. You can help from home, you don’t have to put yourself in danger.
One of the girls’ friends fled to join Islamic State in December and at the time, they were questioned by police as part of the routine inquiry into the disappearance of their friend. It is believed they received support in planning their trip but the extent of this backing is not known and police say they are not aware that the girls have access to funding.
Two Austrian teenagers ran away last year to join ISIS but reportedly became disillusioned with their lives there. It emerged they had been married off to jihadist fighters shortly after their arrival in Syria and were both pregnant.
Despite their eagerness to return home, Austrian officials said they were not sure that could ever be allowed.
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