KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 — A fifth Malaysian has allegedly died in the service of the Islamic State jihadist movement in Syria, a local daily reported today.
According to Malay language newspaper Utusan Malaysia, 25-year-old Muhammad Afiq Heusen Rahizat, also known as “Abu Dubais”, was killed in a fight against Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s army two days ago.
Assistant director-general of Bukit Aman counter-terrorism division Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin told the daily that the police earlier learnt of Muhammad Afiq’s trip to Syria on April 6.
“Muhammad Afiq and his brother went to the troubled country a few months ago but no action was taken due to lack of evidence.
“This individual is also among the 22 Malaysians identified who were involved in the fight in the country in turmoil,” he told Utusan Malaysia.
The daily also reported that the man was from Kluang, Johor.
On Monday, Bloomberg news service reported that as many as 40 Malaysians are currently fighting for the Islamic State in Syria, with some saying that the jihad was mandated by the Prophet Muhammad.
The total number of Southeast Asians fighting alongside Islamic State is estimated by governments and police to be a few hundred.
The violence and brutality committed by terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria poses a threat to the Middle East and, if left unchecked, the world, The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations said in a statement on September 27.
Malaysians and Indonesians fighting for the IS have also reportedly banded together over their common language and are said to be planning to expand their numbers to form a “katibah”, a military unit of 100 men roughly equivalent to a company.
Malaysia has designated IS a terrorist group.
The organisation was formerly known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
