Militant Islamist fighters take part in a military parade along the streets of northern Raqqa province June 30, 2014.
Militant Islamist fighters take part in a military parade along the streets of northern Raqqa province June 30, 2014. Militant Islamist fighters held a parade in Syria's northern Raqqa province to celebrate their declaration of an Islamic "caliphate" after the group captured territory in neighbouring Iraq, a monitoring service said. The Islamic State, an al Qaeda offshoot previously known as Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), posted pictures online on Sunday of people waving black flags from cars and holding guns in the air, the SITE monitoring service said. Reuters/Stringer

Shareef Alnimer, a 22-year-old Australian man who was working with a German Islamic charity group in Syria, has been killed, a spokesperson for the charity and a family member confirmed on Wednesday.

Alnimer was working with the German charity group Helfen in Not, which translates to Helping in Need, in the region. According to a business colleague, he was only involved in social services and not in any kind of fighting. The manner of Alnimer’s death has not yet been disclosed.

The youth was from Campbelltown in south-west Sydney, and had also worked with the suburb's Community Youth Centre, the same place that has been associated with Hamdi Alqudsi, an alleged Islamic State recruiter. Alqudsi is presently on bail and is due to face court next year with charges of recruiting young Australians to join the Islamic State.

Friends of Alnimer took to Facebook to pay tribute to him. One of the friends wrote: "A heart made from gold, a soul which has been forever blessed, and a brother which I never had. Missing you would be an understatement! Inshallah the HIGHEST rank in Jannah for you Shareef Alnimer. Always love you!"

Another post said, "A true inspiration and role model to myself and the youth of our community. May Allah grant him with the highest of paradise and give his family strength during this time."

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told Fairfax Media that she was aware of the death of the Australian youth but cannot confirm the veracity of the reports yet.

"The government's capacity to confirm reports of deaths in either Syria or Iraq is extremely limited," Bishop said in a statement to Fairfax Media. "Due to the extremely dangerous security situation, consular assistance is no longer available within Syria. Australians who become involved in overseas conflicts are putting their own lives in mortal danger."

She also urged any Australian fighting with non-state militia in Iraq or Syria to withdraw from the region as soon as possible. She also warned Australians not to travel to these two countries.

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