2nd Kalyan youth dies fighting for IS in Iraq

Kalyan: Aman Tandel (25), one of the four youths who left their Kalyan homes in May 2014 to fight alongside the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq, is said to have been killed in an airstrike.

An unknown caller informed Aman’s father Naeem Tandel on Saturday of his son’s death. Family sources said the person claimed he was calling from Turkey and specifically asked for Naeem. After Naeem confirmed his identity, the caller told him that “your son Aman has been martyred in an airstrike in Iraq”. The person, who had called around 11.30pm, went on to recite a part of a verse from the Quran that is usually said on getting the news of death. When Naeem asked for his identity, the caller refused and hung up.

In May 2014, four youths from Kalyan—Aman Tandel, Fahad Shaikh, Shaheem Tanki and Arib Majeed—left the country on the pretext of going on a pilgrimage and joined the IS in Iraq. Of the four, Arib returned, surrendered to the authorities and is now in jail. Another caller had earlier informed the Tanki family of Shaheem’s death.

That leaves only Fahad Shaikh still probably active with the terrorist group.

Naeem Tandel broke down as he informed his wife about their son Aman’s death in Iraq. He was the only son of the Tandels. “Naeem, sobbing, told me, ‘My family’s only heir has not survived, for whom will we live now?'” a family friend told TOI. As news of Aman’s purported death spread, several relatives visited the Tandels over Sunday and Monday.

Fahad Shaikh’s family is worried about their son. A close relative said as there is a war-like situation in Iraq, they too fear for his life. He added that they had last seen Fahad in a 22-minute video released by IS in which Aman and Fahad were seen.

Source : TOI