Fleeing to the West is major sin, IS warns refugees

In the latest issue of its English-language magazine Dabiq, IS published the boy's image under the headline: "The danger of Abandoning Darul-Islam," or the land of Islam, including the group's self-declared "caliphate" in Syria and Iraq.

The Islamic State group has used the shocking image of drowned Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi to warn refugees against trying to flee to the West, calling it a "major sin".

Relatives carry a coffin during the funeral of the two Syrian toddlers and their mother who drowned trying to reach Greece, in the Syrian border town of Kobani, on September 4, 2015, while their distraught father begged Arab countries to do more to help Syria's refugees. (Reuters Photo)

Three-year-old Aylan's body was photographed lying in the sand in Bodrum, Turkey after he drowned in a boat accident while his family tried to reach Greece -- an image that helped to focus international attention on the plight of refugees.

In the latest issue of its English-language magazine Dabiq, IS published the boy's image under the headline: "The danger of Abandoning Darul-Islam," or the land of Islam, including the group's self-declared "caliphate" in Syria and Iraq.

"Sadly some Syrians and Libyans are willing to risk the lives and souls of those whom they are responsible to raise... sacrificing many of them during the dangerous trip to the lands of the war-waging crusaders," it said.

It said Muslims were committing a "dangerous major sin" by bringing children to the West, where "they are under the constant threat of fornication, sodomy, drugs and alcohol".

The International Organisation for Migration, reported that more than 2,760 migrants have died so far this year in their attempt to cross the Mediterranean.