IS bride Shamima Begum has British citizenship revoked by UK government

The Islamic State (IS) bride who wanted to return home to England after moving to Syria has had her British citizenship revoked.

In 2015 at the age of 15, Shamima Begum left the United Kingdom for Syria with two friends, desiring a life with the terrorist group.

Last week it emerged Ms Begum wanted to return to England to give birth to her third child, who she has since had while living in a Syrian refugee camp.

But Ms Begum's family has now been told her British citizenship has been revoked in a letter they received from the British Home Office, which has been obtained by ITV news.

"In light of the circumstances of your daughter, the notice of the Home Secretary's decision has been served of file today (19th February), and the order removing her British citizenship has subsequently been made," the letter said.

It also asked her family to make the teenager aware of the decision and that she has the right to appeal.

The family's lawyer, Tasnime Akunjee, said the family would consider its legal avenues to challenge the decision.

Under international law, it is forbidden that nations make people stateless by revoking their only citizenship. However, ITV news reports that as Ms Begum is of Bangladeshi heritage, she may hold a dual citizenship through her parents.

A Home Office spokesperson wouldn't comment on individual cases, but said it didn't leave people without a state.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said last week that if she was in charge, she would have let the British teen back into the United Kingdom.

"She is a UK citizen, she's born there. The head of (intelligence agency) MI6 says she has a right to return," she told Newstalk ZB.

"It's always possible that people can turn their lives around. We've seen that before."

Ms Begum fled from an IS base three weeks ago, fearing the safety for her then unborn child.

"In the end, I just could not endure anymore," she told the Times at the time. "I just couldn't take it. Now all I want to do is come home to Britain."

She has also commented that the Manchester Arena bombing, which killed 22 people in 2017, was comparable to attacks on Syrian people.

"I do feel that it's wrong that innocent people did get killed.

"It's one thing to kill a soldier that is fighting you, it's self-defence, but to kill the people like women and children.. Just people like the women and children in Baghuz that are being killed right now unjustly, the bombings. It's a two-way thing really."

Newshub.