One of the two Austrian girls who joined Islamic State feared killed in Syria

One of the two Austrian teenage girls who fled their homes to join the Islamic State in northern Syria has reportedly been killed.

Samra Kesinovic, 16, and her friend Sabina Selimovic, 15, left their Vienna homes six months ago for Turkey where they are thought to have crossed into northern Syria. Earlier this week, international media widely reported that Kesinovic had been killed fighting in Syria.

However since then, the two young girls have reportedly taken to social media to refute the reports that Kesinovic had been killed, according to the International Business Times.

Austrian media reported that Interior Minister Johanna Michael Litner had informed the girl’s family of the possibility of her passing; however, at the same time, the ministry could not confirm for certain whether or not she was actually killed.

The Islamic State has been using the two girls to promote its activities through social networking sites and to attract other teenagers to join the organisation.

Ad-Dustour newspaper reported that before their disappearance, the two teenagers left a letter for their families, in which they told them that: “We are following the right path. We travelled to fight in Syria for Islam. Do not try to look for us. We will fight for Allah and die for Him… See you in paradise”.

The father of one of the two girls is reported to have travelled to Turkey looking for his daughter, but to no avail.

Recently, images of the two girls appeared on Twitter wearing the face veil and surrounded by Islamic State fighters. In one of the images, one girl appeared to be carrying a Kalashnikov.

In recent Tweets, Kesinovic and Selimovic spoke about their new life in Syria, saying: “No one will ever find us.” The girls added that they were planning to marry jihadists to become holy fighters.