Runaway ‘Isis bride’ Shamima Begum reported to have given birth in Syrian refugee camp

The 19-year-old was one of three schoolgirls, along with Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase, from Bethnal Green Academy who left the UK to travel to Syria in February 2015.

She told The Times last week while heavily pregnant that she wishes to bring up her baby in the UK, and her family have begged for her to be shown mercy and to be allowed to return to east London.

The family's lawyer said they were confident she had given birth but that they were trying to verify this with her directly on Sunday.

A statement released through their lawyer said: "We, the family of Shamima Begum, have been informed that Shamima has given birth to her child, we understand that both she and the baby are in good health.

"As yet we have not had direct contact with Shamima, we are hoping to establish communications with her soon so that we can verify the above."

The lawyer later confirmed: "It's a boy."

Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright, who previously served as attorney general, said the nationality of the child was a "difficult question", but added: "What really matters I think is to determine what should happen instantly and urgently to her because we do have to be concerned about the health of that baby, we have to be concerned about her health too.

"But in the end she will have to answer for her actions. So I think it is right that if she's able to come back to the UK that she does so but if she does so she will do it on the understanding that we can hold her to account for her behaviour thus far."