Kerala IS recruit 'among' 36 killed in 'Mother of all bombs' strike in Afghanistan

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Kasargode (Kerala): An Islamic State recruit from Kerala was among 36 ISIS militants killed when the US military dropped the “Mother of all bombs” in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar, an Indian official said on Friday.

Mohammed, who was in his mid 20s, killed in the US assault, an intelligence officer of the Kerala Police said. However, he didn't have proof to confirm it.

The bomb was dropped on an IS cave complex in Achin district of the province on Thursday night.

"The information of the death came to a relative of Mohammed and unlike a similar news received in February about the death of another youth from here, this time there are no pictures (to establish the death)," the officer told IANS.

"We do not have any more details," he added, requesting anonymity.

In February, 26-year-old Hafeesudin, who also hailed from here and was member of a group of 21 Keralites who were reported to have joined the IS in Afghanistan, was killed in a drone attack.

Then the relatives of the dead were sent pictures, but this time the relative of Mohammed received only a message that he was killed, according to the Kerala Police`s intelligence wing.

An official attached to the Chandera police station near here, where the message was received, said they also had the information that Mohammed had died.

"Since the probe in this case is done by the NIA (National Intelligence Agency), we do not have any more details," said the police officer.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had last year informed the state assembly that 21 people, including children, were missing and this included 17 from Kasargode district and four from Palakkad district.

(With IANS inputs)