Asif Malik: Slough couple feared to be heading for Syria with four children arrested in Turkey

Asif Malik and Sara Kiran have been arrested in Ankara

Asif Malik and Sara Kiran. (Thames Valley Police/PA Wire)

A British couple from Slough, feared to be heading to war-torn Syria with their four young children, have been arrested in Turkey.

Police have detained Asif Malik, 31, and his partner Sara Kiran, 29, in the Turkish capital of Ankara, an official told the Associated Press.

The couple have a seven-year-old daughter named Zoha Malik, and sons Essa, four, Zakariya, two, and Yhaya, one. They have also been taken into custody.

Ms Kiran’s concerned family members have made an emotional plea earlier for her to contact them. “We miss you”, they told her.

A CCTV still showing Asif Malik, Sara Kiran and their four young children travelling through Dover port in Kent (Images: Thames Valley Police/PA)

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In a statement released by Thames Valley Police, they said: “Sara, we want to let you know that we love you; we miss you, Asif and the grandchildren. You are not in trouble, we are not angry or upset, and we just want you to return home safely.”

Police have stressed that they are treating the disappearance as a missing persons’ inquiry, but said they were deeply concerned that the family appeared to be heading towards Syria, where the extremist group Isis is fighting to establish a Muslim caliphate.

Thames Valley Police officers think the group caught the 12.30am ferry from Dover 12 days ago, and might have travelled across Europe by train and through Budapest on or around Sunday 12 April. The family were reported missing on 16 April.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We are urgently looking into reports that six British nationals have been arrested in Turkey. We stand ready to provide consular assistance."

Additional reporting by PA