KULIM, Sept 10 — The mother of Mohd Fadlan Shahidi Mohammad Khir who was killed in an air strike in Syria yesterday believed that her son was serious and sincere in what he was fighting for.

With that, Fatimah Md Lazim, 55, accepted the fate that had befell her son.

“We did not expect such a tragedy on him , but we believe he was sincere in fighting for his cause in that country (Syria),” she said when met at Kampung Bukit Kabu Mahang here today.

Fatimah said her son left for Syria last May 14.

“It was when he called me and said he was going to Syria, but did not say why,” she added.

She said Mohd Fadlan Shahidi was a student at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Bukit Jelutong before continuing with his religious studies at a pondok school in Kampung Ulu Bakai here.

Mohammad Fadlan Shahidi, 21, is the fifth of eight siblings, comprising four girls and four boys.

Local newspapers reported that five other Malaysians were injured in the attack, including Mohd Lofti Ariffin, said to be critically injured and still unconscious, and another known as Abu Afghan.

According to the report, Mohammad Fadlan, also known as Abu Muhajir, was the fourth Malaysian to be killed in Syria so far. — Bernama