Boy, 4, died from a stroke weeks after his father was killed in an attack

Bryar Masoyi refused to eat after learning his father, who was killed during an Isis attack, would not be returning home. Photo / via Facebook

A young boy has died from a "broken heart" weeks after his father was killed in an Islamic State attack.

Jalal Masoyi, a Kurdish Peshmerga fighter, was killed on July 31 in Kulajo, Iraq while fighting against the Islamic State.

According to local reports, Jalal and his four-year-old son Bryar had a very close relationship, and when the young boy was told his father would not be returning, he suffered a stroke, news.com.au reported.

"He kept saying that he misses his father and was asking why he was not coming home," a family member told Kurdistan 24.

The young boy had become "so depressed" he began "avoiding eating food", his relatives told the publication.

But his situation worsened when the four-year-old began to foam at the mouth during his sleep, forcing the family to take him to hospital.

It is understood young Bryar died on August 26 in his mother's arms from emotional depression as a result of his father's death a few weeks ago.

He will be buried next to his father in Slemani, a city in Iraqi Kurdistan.

The young boy's tragic story has garnered a massive reaction online, with thousands of people extending their deep condolences to the family.

"Meet Bryar. Another victim of ISIS. Bryar died today in the arms of his mother from sorrow and emotional depression as a result of his father's death on the hands of ISIS criminals a few weeks ago. RIP Bryar," one person tweeted.

"Very sorry to hear this, may he rest in peace and may God give his mother strength and patience," added another.

Iraq declared military victory over the Islamic State in late 2017, however, according to Kurdistan 24, officials continuously warn of a resurgence as the group continues to carry out brutal attacks such as ambushes and kidnappings in the country.

About 2000 Peshmerga fighters have died fighting the terrorist group and more than 10,000 people have been injured since IS' emergence in 2014.

A similar situation occurred after the Christchurch massacre when the mother of one of the victims died from a heart attack after her son's funeral.

Kamel Darwish, 38, was killed at the Al Noor mosque when a lone attacker opened fire during Friday prayers on March 15.

But the family was hit by a double tragedy when his mother, Saud Abdelfattah Mhaisen Adwan, died within hours after her son's funeral.

"Apparently, this morning she passed away because she couldn't put up with the sorrow and sadness of losing her son," family friend Yaser Mohammad said.

Australian heart surgeon Nikki Stamp told the ABC the stress of losing a loved one could cause someone to die of a broken heart.

There is a legitimate and specific medical condition called "taktsubo cardiomyopathy" — or heartbreak syndrome — that doctors say is dying of a broken heart. But the condition is rare, the ABC reported.