Originally from the northern suburbs of Melbourne, the circumstances of how Zahra’s family came to be in Syria are contested.
Some male members of her family reportedly joined the IS group, but Zahra maintains the women had no choice but to follow.
"I didn’t make this bed," she says.
"We are now forced to suffer for the decisions that other people – other male influencers – have made on our behalf, and now they're all gone and we are left to suffer with our kids."