Former Irish soldier 'detained in Syria'

Irish police say they are aware of a woman fleeing for Syria several years ago

Dublin's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was aware of an Irish citizen being held in northern Syria. Tourism Ireland

A former Irish soldier has reportedly been taken into custody in Syria.

According to Irish police, the woman is thought to have been radicalised and travelled to Syria several years ago.

Reports say she is from the north-east of the Republic of Ireland.

Irish police said they were "aware of an Irish woman who left Ireland three or four years ago having become radicalised. She was previously a member of the Irish Defence Forces".

She is understood to have spent around a decade in the army before joining the Air Corps, where she reportedly served on the government jet.

According to the Irish Independent, the woman contacted her family last month requesting money.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is aware of reports of an Irish citizen detained in northern Syria”, Ireland's foreign ministry said.

“Appropriate consular assistance is provided to all Irish citizens where it is possible to do so.”

Foreign fighters and ISIS brides have been in the spotlight again since a British journalist found UK teenager Shamima Begum in a Syrian camp.

On Saturday, reports in British media suggested that her newborn son Jarrah had died.

In February, Britain stripped Begum of her citizenship.