Off the Radar? Kabul, Tehran Have No Info on Kerala ISIS Recruits

The 21 missing Kerala youths thought to have joined ISIS arrived in Iran, but there has been no trace of them since.

ISIS fighters. (Photo: AP)

The 21 missing youths from Kerala who are suspected to have joined the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in Afghanistan, could not be located even by authorities Kabul and Tehran.

There are records of them flying up till Iran, but there has been no trace of them since. The Union Home Ministry had sought information from Iran and Afghanistan, but both countries said they have no information about the group.

Also Read: The Missing 21: Kerala’s Salafis In Search of ‘Pure’ Islam

The group of 21 left home in batches throughout July. One travelled to Tehran via Muscat and the other via Dubai. They reportedly messaged their families upon reaching, saying they had reached their final destination – the Islamic Caliphate that ISIS promises.

Their mode of travel from Iran is not clear. They must have taken one of the illegal routes to cross over to Afghanistan as the authorities there do not have any information on their movement.

National Investigation Agency official

The investigation was transferred to the NIA on 23 August.

Source: The Hindu