A native of Malappuram district in North Kerala who joined IS was among the ten killed in the US attack in Afghanistan last month, says a WhatsApp message to relatives here.
23-year-old Muhammed Muhsin was a native of Edappal in Malappuram. Some of his close relatives received a message in this regard on Whatsapp. Police sources said that an official communication in this regard was still awaited.
According to local sources, Muhsin's sister got the message from an unidentified number the other day. The message that was in Malayalam language also cautioned Muhsin's family from reporting to the matter to the police. It said that he was killed in a drone attack by America about ten days back.
Police intelligence agencies suspect that the Muhsin might have been among a group of around ten persons led by a key commander of IS, Huzaifa al-Bakistani, killed in US drone attack at Nangarhar area of Afghan-Pakistan borders on July 18. Earlier there were reports regarding the incident.
Huzaifa al-Bakistani was suspected to be involved in radicalisation and recruitment of many youths from India to the IS.
Muhsin, who was an engineering student in Thrissur district, was reported missing since October 2017 after he left home saying that he was going on a tour from college. Later his family received information that he joined IS.
According to sources, there were also recent messages that about 60 persons from Kerala were still with the IS. Over the last several years 98 persons from Kerala were reported to have joined the IS. Of this 38 were reported dead on various occasions, said a message reported to be received by Muhsin's family.
