A runaway teenager who has divided British opinion after joining the Islamic State group in Syria but now wants to return home, has given birth, her family said on Sunday.
A runaway teenager who has divided British opinion after joining the Islamic State group in Syria but now wants to return home, has given birth, her family said on Sunday.
Shamima Begum, whose fate has prompted British soul-searching since she and two friends stirred controversy by fleeing to the terror network in 2015, gave birth to a boy, according to family lawyer Mohammed Akunjee.
„We, the family of Shamima Begum, have been informed that Shamima has given birth to her child,“ a statement he released on Twitter said.
„We understand that both she and the baby are in good health.
„As yet we have not had direct contact with Shamima, we are hoping to establish communications with her soon so that we can verify the above.“
Akunjee told AFP the family had learned about the birth from a translator in an eastern Syria refugee camp where Begum is currently staying.
Begum had previously given birth to two other children, but both died during her time in Syria, she told The Times earlier this week.
Her case has highlighted the challenge for Western governments of dealing with returning jihadist supporters, after she told the newspaper that she wanted to raise her new baby in Britain.
