Jihadi Janes: ISIS militants 'caught dressing in WOMEN'S clothes and wearing make-up in attempt to flee Iraq's battlefields'

Islamic State fighters are shaving off their beards and dressing as women in a bid to escape from battle, Iraqi forces have claimed.

A series of pictures have emerged showing men who have reportedly been caught trying to escape from northern Iraq wearing dresses, bras and make-up.

The photographs, posted on Instagram, show authorities appearing to pull back burkas to reveal young boys and even men with moustaches. 

                             
Islamic State fighters are using bras and dresses to disguise themselves as women in a bid to escape from battle, Iraqi forces have claimed
                              
The photographs, posted on Instagram, show authorities appearing to pull back burkas to reveal young boys and even men with moustaches. It is not known when the images were originally taken 

Under Sharia law, which ISIS partially adheres to, women are prevented from fighting.

Jihadists are believed to be terrified of being killed by a female because they think it will stop them getting their 72 virgins in heaven.

                              
A man is pictured wearing lipstick in one of the images that has emerged showing ISIS fighters dressing as women, as they try to flee from northern Iraq 
                                                
                                      One man is pictured in a flowery red jumpsuit with a thick blue blanket pulled over his head

But men - and even boys as young as 13 - have been given powerful machine guns and are expected to join the cause.

The photographs were revealed just five days after it emerged three men from the region were accused of homosexuality and publicly beheaded by a sword-wielding ISIS executioner.

Iraqi troops and militia are battling to push ISIS back from the area with support from a US-led coalition and Iran.

                                            

But retaking Nineveh and Mosul poses a major challenge for Baghdad's forces, as the militants have had more than nine months to dig in.

Iraqi forces launched a huge operation last week aimed at retaking the city of Tikrit that, if successful, would serve as a stepping stone towards Mosul.