In April 2014, Samra Kesinovic (17) and her friend Sabina Selimovic (16) left a note with their parents which read “Don’t look for us. We will serve Allah – and we will die for him.” The pair fled from Austria to join IS where they became propaganda poster girls. Austrian newspapers have speculated that the girls had a change of heart and wanted to come home and may have been beaten to death.
Authorities know that the girls initially travelled to Turkey then to Syria by foot. They are also claimed to have married and become pregnant to IS fighters. In an interview from inside Islamic State in October, Selimovic blasted claims that she wants to return home in an interview believed to be held at gunpoint by her jihadist husband.
Experts in Vienna claimed the entire interview where Selimovic explains that she loves eating the food and practising her religion, is really just a publicity stunt to rebuild the Islamic State’s image. An interview on neutral territory needs to be conducted to put all rumours to rest.
