While Islamic State Seems Routed In Syria And Iraq, Over 20 Radicalised Keralites Hang On, In Afghan Province

Despite the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) losing its territory in both Iraq and Syria, around two dozen radicalised Indians from Kerala are still living in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan which they continue to call the Islamic State of Khorasan, reports Hindustan Times.

The report cited ISIS watchers as saying that a group comprising 21 Kerala men, some of them with their wives and children, went to Afghanistan via Iran in 2016. Two more families joined them in 2018 taking the total to 31. As per the intelligence officials, eight of these people have died either fighting or due to illness.

According to the report, around 110 Indians were attracted to the radical ideology of ISIS and its founder Al-Baghdadi since the terror outfit’s rise in Iraq and Syria post 2006.

On Saturday (23 March) Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces had announced that the last shred of land controlled by ISIS in Syria had been conquered, NDTV has reported.

According to the NDTV report, following the declaration of ISIS defeat, dozens of the group’s terrorists surrendered to United States-backed forces in eastern Syria on Sunday (25 March).