Trikaripur (Kasaragod): Families in Kerala are worried and confused about messages they're receiving on missing Keralite youths, who have allegedly joined the Islamic State (IS) terror outfit. In the past two months, messages informing about the deaths of three missing Keralites had reached their relatives.
All three messages were purportedly sent by Ashfaq Majeed, a native of Padanna. But there is no official confirmation on the reports of deaths.
Message claims one more Keralite IS recruit's death in Afghanistan
The message sent a fortnight ago claimed Murshid Muhammed from Padanna was killed in a drone attack in Afghanistan. In February this year, information reached the relatives of 26-year-old Hafeesudin that he had been killed in a drone attack.
The next message said Palakkad native Yahiya alias Bastian was "martyred" in the US attack.
Keralite youth, who allegedly joined al-Qaeda, killed in Syria: reports
Ashfaq, who had been allegedly sending information on missing Keralites, had sent Hafeesudin's photo with the message. However, there were no photos of Murshid or Yahiya accompanying the corresponding messages.
Some of the usages in the messages have given rise to suspicion that they are not from Ashfaq. It is suspected that the messages are being send by the leader of the group of Keralite youths, who allegedly joined the ISIS.
All messages are vague and leave unanswered questions.
These three youths were reportedly injured in a US air strike in Afghanistan. Fears have arisen on whether more people have been killed. Families say some of those who disappeared were in touch until two months ago. There is no word from them now. It has been reported that a US air raid in Afghanistan's Nankahar had killed over 100 people recently.
They were among the 21 people, including women and children from Kerala, who had traveled to the Middle East and went missing in 2016. 17 of them were from Kasaragod and the rest from Palakkad.