LONDON -- The three missing schoolgirls who were feared to have travelled to Syria to join Islamic State (ISIS) have crossed over the border from Turkey, counter-terrorism experts believe.
Shamima Begum and Amira Abasa, both 15, and 16-year old Kadiza Sultana left London last Tuesday on a plane bound for Turkey, and didn't respond to pleas from their families to return or to get in touch. The Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism unit, SO15, now says they crossed over the border into Syria.
SO15 Counter Terrorism officers investigating 3 missing schoolgirls believe that they are no longer in Turkey and have crossed into Syria— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) February 24, 2015
Prime Minister David Cameron called the situation "deeply concerning" at the weekend, promising "our authorities will do everything we can to help these girls."
Security services have been criticised after it emerged that one of the girls, Shamima Begum, had sent a Twitter message to Aqsa Mahmood, who left Glasgow to marry an Islamic State fighter in Syria in 2013.
Turkey's deputy prime minister Bulent Arinc, meanwhile, attacked Britain for a lack of communication during the situation.
"It is a condemnable act for Britain to let three girls ... come to Istanbul and then let us know three days later," he said. "They haven't taken the necessary measures."