Two Maldivians have died in the Syrian civil war this month, according to local media reports.
Abdulla Mohamed Didi, 38, from Addu City, died in a bombing in Syria’s Idlib on March 26, while Ahmed Munsiu, 28, from Fuvahmulah Island, died on March 18 in Syria, Haveeru Daily has reported.
Abdulla reportedly left to Syria via Malaysia three months ago, without informing his family. He was married with three children.
Speaking to Haveeru, Munsiu’s mother Rifath Ahmed said her son had gone to Syria with his wife, Suma Ali on February 22.
Rifath said the couple regularly communicated with her online, but since Munsiu’s death, she has not heard from Suma. However, she has heard Suma was in good health.
In February, local media reported a three-month-old Maldivian baby died in Syria after suffering from respiratory difficulties. The child’s mother attempted to travel back to Malé due to a lack of adequate medical facilities, but was prevented due to lack of cooperation from her husband, local media said.
Since the first reports of Maldivians travelling to ISIS-held territories for jihad surfaced last year, a steady stream of recruits have left the country, including couples and entire families.
The exact number of Maldivians who have traveled abroad for jihad remains unclear, but Commissioner of Police Hussein Waheed in early January estimated over 50 Maldivians could be fighting in foreign civil wars.
Waheed’s comments came after local media reported a dozen had traveled to Syria at the start of January.
Despite assurances that the activities of radicals are being monitored, the group said to have left in early January included a number of individuals known to police.
They included a suspect in the murder of MP Dr Afrasheem Ali, and an individual arrested over the disappearance of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan.
Since then, on February 1, a former cleric of Malé’s Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital and his wife reportedly left to ISIS-held territory in Syria for jihad.
In January, four would-be jihadis were apprehended in Malaysia, with media reporting that they were brought back to the Maldives and released after the authorities seized their passports. A similar group were returned from Sri Lanka in November.
In September 2014, online Jihadist group Bilad Al Sham Media (BASM) claimed four Maldivians had been killed in the Syrian civil war.
A BASM Facebook post that month said two Maldivian men identified as Abu Dujana and Abu Ibrahim had died in battle.
These reports followed similar stories in May 2014 when two Maldivians – who had taken the names of Abu Nuh and Abu Turab – were said to have been killed after travelling to Syria for jihad.
While the group claimed that Abu Dujana was the founder and editor of the BASM page, the group has not provided any information regarding his real identity, stating that this omission was at the request of his mother.
Local media had, however, identified Abu Dujana as Yameen Naeem of Georgia in the Maafannu ward of the capital Malé. It was reported that the man, in his early twenties, travelled to Syria after studying in Egypt.
On August 24, Islamic Minister Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed said in a tweet “ISIS is an extremist group. No space will be given for their ideology and activities in the Maldives.” He has since urged Maldivians not to travel abroad for jihad.
Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon on August 26 issued a press release condemning human rights abuses carried out by the IS and called for the respect of life and dignity in the spirit of Islam.
Subsequently, approximately 200 people carrying the ISIS flags marched in Malé calling for the implementation of the Islamic Shari’ah.
The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party has repeatedly questioned the government’s sincerity, alleging the government had failed to take concrete action against growing radicalism.
(0)Dislikes
(0)Related Posts
Afrasheem murder suspect’s departure to Syria under investigation- Two attempted suicides reported on Saturday
- Police conduct random checks on flights bound to Turkey
- Facebook group publishes Maldivian jihadi Azlif’s obituary
- UN sees increase in Maldivian jihadists overseas
- Hospital worker and wife latest to travel for Jihad
As-Salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu!
World watches instantly via internet what's going on. News and comments posted via Internet are being probably read by nations across the world. Hence please don't be frustrated. Imagine you were at a festive gathering and a fight broke out between family members...everyone at the gathering are watching and doesn't it generate awkward feelings? As a match-stick can set forest trees on fire and char them and those amongst them, tongue has the power to set minds on fire. Hence please be wise, humble, compassionate and impartial in your judgements.
If one understands Quran (Surat Al-Baqarah 2:190 to 2:195), one will never issue any death threats or kill innocent people. It is up to Allah (Quran Surat Ghafir 40:20) Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors. (Quran 2:190) If one transgresses, then one is not a Muslim. Also, Islam is not a birth-right and only when one understands Quran, one is born-again as a Muslim. Even Muhammad, peace be upon him, was not a Muslim by birth. Hence refrain from issuing threats against innocents or killing them which is transgression.
It's not possible to understand even our parents or closest kin all the time... But what keeps the bond is love. In love, there is understanding, forgiveness and mutual respect. It brings peace and positive ideas. It completely cleans out hatred and only love remains in one's heart. It's like the sugar that makes a bitter coffee sweet. I do not wish nobody hates nobody for the problems though we were at the same level as them when we came out of our mother's wombs (without malice and deceit)..I wish you understand my message of peace, love and hope ( Quran Surat Ghafir 40:78 ). I am not affiliated with any religion; however I would say everyone who loves is born of God to make known the father's presence amongst us. Everyone who loves cherishes life. Everyone who comes to know the value of life is for peace. And where there is peace, there is hope for the living. When there is hope every member of community strives for its prosperity.
Since Love is the starting point for building hope…how can we trigger love instead of a weapon?
1. By Authoritarian Regime?
2. By Protests?
3. By Education?
4. By Spreading One’s own “Religion”?
5. Improving Economy?
Though all of the above help alleviate human suffering, for the last three millenniums the history shows that they failed to generate hope and trust among all responsible individuals of communities, cities and even nations! The only force/education/religion/wealth that kept even the most homogenous societies together is “Agape Love”. [Broadly love is of three types: Philos (family, brothers, sisters, friends), Eros (between lovers; men/women/gay), Agape (of strangers/helpers/givers).]
Agape Love is being patient, empathetic and compassionate to God’s creation (Animate & inanimate). By Animate, I mean all living creatures and not just human beings! By Inanimate, I mean all non-living like Water, Air, Sun, Earth, stars, universe etc. (However inanimate is also living in God’s view)…When you say you love God, you are expressing your “Agape Love” to him. Exercising “Agape Love” is the toughest exercise. Yes…it’s the toughest exercise any body-builder, sports athlete, Military personnel, Law-enforcement, revolutionaries etc. can do! I challenge everyone in Syria and you; do you have it in you to exercise “Agape Love”?
Being patient does not mean ‘apathy’ (lack of interest). By being empathetic does not mean one changes their view and accepts others view like switching TV channels. By being compassionate does not mean, you let someone who blinded your one eye to blind the other one too….That’s why I mean it’s the toughest exercise….Agape love starts with Patience…and members of different parts of community (including Govt officials) may sit together (civic engagement/community engagement) to meditate what’s good for themselves, society, humanity and God's creation…It need not happen only in Damascus or Mecca or Vatican City or Washington D.C. Or New York City or any world capital or even in Heaven… It should start in your own small town in a Coffee shop, in a sport’s field or soccer field, online, or park or just in a plain ground where everyone can hear everyone else…And that’s the true gathering of people in God's Name!
Ma'a as salama!,
Kal Gandikota
Its not much to say about some peoples prehistoric behavers, they have turned the time 1000 years back. Good that most of us now where we are and what year hundred we live in. It doesn’t help how much that they twist and turn the stuff from the old history books, it’s what it is old history and much of it tails and fictions, same as todays books are tails and fictions. But it would not sup price me if 1000 years from now someone will try to live after today’s made fiction books.