Two Keralites who joined ISIS killed in Afghanistan, Syria

The two persons had left Kerala last year to join the Islamic State in Nangarhar, Afghanistan and Syria.

Indian agencies have received confirmation about two more persons from Kerala being killed in Afghanistan and Syria. The two persons had left Kerala last year to join the Islamic State in Nangarhar, Afghanistan and Syria. The two have been identified as Yahiya alias Bestin and Abu Tahrir.

Yahiya had joined the outfit in Afghanistan while Tahrir went to Syria, Intelligence Bureau officials confirmed. Yahiya is a resident of Palakkad while Tahrir hailed from Kasargod.

Tahrir had left for Syria in September 2014. The death of both the operatives was confirmed by their associates to their respective families.

Yahiya had reported converted from Christianity to Islam before leaving for Afghanistan. He was part of the group of 21 from Kerala which left to Afghanistan to be part of the ISIS. IB officials say that he had left for Afghanistan along with his wife Mariam and elder brother Bexon alias Isa. He is the fourth person from Kerala to be killed in ISIS territory.

Thahir, who is believed to have been killed in Syria following a strike by the US forces. He died in the mid of April, sources say. He had worked in a Muslim daily in Palakkad before leaving for Doha in 2013. He made the journey to Syria following that, sources also say.

OneIndia News