After Kannur district police arrested five men over alleged Islamic State (ISIS) connections, police for the first time have confirmed the death of another five men in Syria, all from Kannur.
Police have also released the pictures of the dead. Earlier, a few reports of the deaths, were coming out based on the messages received on telegram, by relatives of those who left Syria from Kerala.
The deceased are TV Shameer of Pappinissery, his son Salman, AV Shahnad from Chalad, Muhammed Shajil from Mundery and Rihsal from Valapattanam.
Police released the photographs after confirming from the recently arrested people. Apart from getting confirmation from the arrested people, police say that they have verified it through various sources.
Police officials said that a total of 15 people from the district have joined the Islamic State in Syria so far, and Thalassery native UK Hamza (57), who was one among the recently arrested, persuaded them to join the network.
TV Shameer went to Syria in December 2015 along with his wife and three children including Salman.
Shahnad was working in Bahrain when he crossed Syrian borders in the beginning of 2016.
It was in December 2015 that Shameer along with his wife Fousiya and children Safvan, Salman and Najiya went to Syria. Shahnad joined ISIS camp during his job in Bahrain.
Shajir also went with his family, wife and two children in October 2016.
Rishal left India in 2014 with his wife and later their relatives had received a message from them saying that they wanted to escape but were trapped in ISIS camp.
In July this year, there were many unconfirmed reports regarding the death of IS recruiters from Kerala in Syria. All were reports based on messages sent from Syria to the family of the deceased.
Sibi from Palakkad and Muhadis from Malappuram, Yahiya, Abu Thahir from Palakkad, Hafeesudheen and Murship from Kasaragod etc… were a few among the ISIS recruiters confirmed dead in Syria this year.