Gran's Syrian rescue bid ends in failure

An Australian grandmother's attempts to rescue her five grandchildren from Islamic State in Syria has failed, with media attention blamed.

File photo of IS soldiers Source: Supplied

A Sydney grandmother who flew to Turkey in an attempt to rescue her grandchildren from the terrorist Islamic State group has returned empty handed.

Karen Nettleton's five grandchildren were taken into the IS-controlled region of Syria by her daughter Tara to join their father Khaled Sharrouf.

Sharrouf is believed to have died in a drone strike last year, while Tara Nettleton is thought to have died in Syria in September following an appendix operation.

Karen Nettleton told the ABC that media attention about her mission to retrieve the children thwarted her plans.

The ABC reported Ms Nettleton arrived back in Sydney from Ankara on Thursday.