NEW DELHI: It has been reported that among the 600 odd Islamic State fighters and members who have surrendered in the eastern province of Afghanistan, authorities have identified one woman hailing from Kerala.

According to a report in The Hindu, the woman has been identified as Ayesha, previously known as Sonia Sebastian, a 32-year-old from Kerala. Ayesha was in a 21-member group from Kerala that left to join the IS back in 2016.

As per the reports, there are about 10 Malayalis in the group of surrendered IS members, which is still unconfirmed. Ayesha is the first wife of deceased mastermind Abdul Rashid Abdulla, who was the main conspirator in the IS recruitment from Kerala. Rashid was a teacher at Peace International School in Kozhikode prior to his departure to Afghanistan in 2016. It is here that he met his second wife, Yasmin Mohammad Shaheed, a 30-year-old hailing from Bihar, who taught English at the school.

In June of 2019, Rashid was reportedly killed during random bombings by American troops as per the messages sent to Kerala. After the surrender of IS members, NIA officers conducted investigation in Thrikkarippur for more terrorist links.

Back in May 2016, Ayesha and Abdul Rashid left to Afghanistan by foot from Iran. She was pregnant back then. It is learnt that Ayesha gave birth to a girl child.