The UK has revoked the citizenship of two women detained in Syrian camps, according to a report. The move follows the death of the infant son of Shamima Begum, a UK national who lost her citizenship after joining Islamic State.
Legal sources cited by The Sunday Times identified the women as Reema Iqbal, 30, and her sister Zara, 28, from east London. Both are reportedly housed in separate refugee camps in Syria with their children, including five boys under eight years old.
The women, whose parents originated from Pakistan, traveled to Syria in 2013 after marrying Islamic State fighters linked to the execution of Western hostages. Zara was pregnant with her second child when she left and later gave birth to a third. Reema has a son born in the UK and another in Syria.
A Home Office statement emphasized that citizenship revocations are evidence-based decisions. The department declined to comment on individual cases but affirmed the process is not taken lightly.
The death of Begum’s three-week-old son, Jarrah, from pneumonia sparked public backlash. As he was born before her citizenship was revoked, he retained British nationality. Former Metropolitan Police official Dal Babu criticized the government for failing to protect the child, while opposition figures condemned the policy as inhumane.
A UK government spokesperson expressed sorrow over the child’s death, calling it a tragic loss. Begum’s sister had previously appealed to Home Secretary Sajid Javid to reconsider the citizenship revocation.
