‘ISIS bride’ Shamima Begum now looks unrecognizable in new photos.
Newly-released pictures of Begum, 26, have revealed just how different the ‘ISIS bride’ looks ten years on from her infamous disappearance.
The British-born woman has been seen for the first time in years, having previously spoken out in a BBC documentary in 2023.
The 26-year-old was born and raised in Bethnal Green, London, but left to join ISIS in Syria at the age of 15 in 2015.
She was one of three East London schoolgirls who traveled to Syria at the time.
Just 10 days after she left the UK, Begum married an Islamic State fighter and went on to have three children, none of whom survived.
Following her controversial move, Begum’s UK citizenship was stripped on national security grounds in 2019.
She now remains in a camp controlled by armed guards in northern Syria, and regrets her decision to flee at 15.
After losing her British citizenship, she remains in the al-Roj detention camp in northern Syria.
Begum has pursued numerous legal challenges to the decision of the UK to revoke her citizenship, but her efforts have been unsuccessful.
She most recently lost her final UK court bid in August 2024.
It’s been reported that a legal team is now turning to the European Court of Human Rights, but that the process is a slow one.
The government has the power to remove anyone’s UK citizenship under specific circumstances.
These include for the ‘public good,’ if they obtained citizenship through fraud, and if their actions could harm UK interests.
And it’s not the first time British citizenship has been revoked.
The power has been used against members of banned organisations such as al-Qaeda.
During an interview with the Daily Express, reporters noted that her face was concealed by a surgical mask.
However, they noted that ‘her eyes were somewhat sunken, and she seemed pale, as well as very thin.’
Begum spoke very few words to reporters, as she said: “We don’t have anything to say.”
Speaking to a BBC journalist in 2022, she said: “I take responsibility.
“I’m ashamed of myself for being so stupid, for falling for something like this.
“Just a lot of regret.”
