French-Japanese couple reported missing since leaving for Syria

A French-Japanese couple who planned to visit areas controlled by the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group in Syria went missing after leaving Tokyo last month, reports and a source said Monday.

Fighting is raging in Syria between the Islamic State jihadist group and its opponents. REUTERS/Osman Orsal

A Franco-Algerian man and his Japanese wife, both Muslims in their twenties, first went to Turkey from where they reached the frontier with Syria. The authorities have been unable to trace their movements since then.

The Japanese government as well as the French embassy in Tokyo, which had heard about the project, tried in vain to persuade them not to travel to the region, according to the Japanese media.

The two youngsters had told Japanese officials they were travelling to Syria to engage in “humanitarian assistance”, denying they wanted to take in the fighting that is raging in the region.

There are very few Muslims in Japan and the country has not been hit by this radical fringe of people leaving to fight along jihadists, unlike other countries.

About 2,000 people in Syria have been murdered by members of the IS since June, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The jihadist group often records killings on video and posts footage on the internet to terrify civilians and rebelling groups as well as to attract new recruits.