Australian consular officials are working to confirm reports that a Sydney woman and her husband have been killed in Syria.
The Australian reports that Amira Ali, 22, from Granville in Sydney, and her husband, Yusuf Ali, were killed in the war-torn country amid infighting between rebel forces.
The report quotes family members as saying the pair were attacked and killed in their house by members of the Free Syrian Army, with other reports attributing their deaths to a mortar attack.
Mrs Ali, who was raised on the Gold Coast, is said to have left Sydney last month to join her husband near the city of Aleppo, where conflict between rebel forces has claimed hundreds of lives in the past week.
In a statement on Monday, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said it couldn't confirm reports of the deaths.
"Consular officials are seeking to confirm the reported deaths of two Australians in Syria," DFAT said in the brief statement.
"We strongly advise Australians not to travel to Syria because of the extremely dangerous security situation.
"Australia does not have an embassy or consulate in Syria. The Australian government's capacity to deliver consular assistance in Syria is extremely limited."
Despite the deaths being unconfirmed, tributes to the pair on Facebook claimed they had been "martyred".
"Please everyone make dua for my sister Amira Ali and brother Inlaw Yusuf. They hav been martyred," a post from Saturday on the Mujahidah Lioness page states.
Another post reads: "May Allah ... grant u and Yusuf the highest of heavens and be together always. Love u my beautiful sister Amira Ali.
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