Missing Family Of Six May Be On Way To Syria

Police are trying to trace a family of six from Slough in Berkshire who have gone missing and may be making their way to Syria.

Thames Valley officers are appealing for information to help find Asif Malik, 31, his 29-year-old partner Sara Kiran and their four children.

They are seven-year-old girl Zoha and three boys - Essa, four, Zakariya, two, and one-year-old Yhaya.

The couple left Slough without mentioning any holiday or travel plans to family members, which is entirely out of character, said police.

They were all last seen on Tuesday 7 April and then boarded a ferry from Dover to Calais in France, at 12.30am on Wednesday 8 April.

They were then thought to have travelled south through Europe, possibly by train, including through Budapest in Hungary, on or around Sunday 12 April.

The family was reported missing to police on Thursday 16 April and officers are concerned they may be seeking to travel to Syria.

Thames Valley Police Acting Deputy Chief Constable, John Campbell, said: "We are extremely concerned for the safety of this family, especially the four young children.

"We are reaching out to Asif and Sara, in the hope that they hear our messages and we encourage them to make contact with us so we can return them safely to their families who are extremely worried about them.

"We would urge anyone with information about the family's whereabouts to come forward and speak to police so the family can safely return to the UK."

He added: "We are concerned about anyone who has or is intending to travel to the part of Syria that is controlled by the terrorist group calling themselves Islamic State.

"It is an extremely dangerous place and not a place where young children should be taken.

"The choice of returning home from Syria is often taken away from those under the control of Islamic State, leaving families in the UK devastated and with very few options to secure their loved ones safe return."

Anyone with information should call Thames Valley Police on 101 quoting reference number 342 (19/4).