In perhaps first such instance, Nazir Ahmad Dar claimed that his brother, Mohammad Ashraf Dar, was among the six al-Qaeda militants killed in the drone strike.
Ashraf alias Umar Kashmiri, who was reported missing by his family in 2001, featured in a video released this week on 'jihadi' networks by As-Sahab, the media arm of al-Qaeda in Indian subcontinent (AQIS) as part of its series 'Jihadi Memories', eulogising its martyrs.
The three-and-a-half-minute video claimed Ashraf to be a resident of "Islamabad area of Kashmir", referring to Anantnag district. Ashraf, son of Ghulam Ahmad Dar, went missing on August 13, 2001, when he was a 15-year-old.
The family claimed that they were informed by a local Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Noor-ul-Haq, that Ashraf had crossed the LoC for arms training -- a fact confirmed by the militant through a telephone call to his family three years later.
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The family also claimed that Ashraf stayed in constant touch with it over phone till December last year and he did mention 'jihad' and Afghanistan in his conversations.
In the video, which is not available on the web now, Ashraf is seen sitting alongside his associates, talking about parents and family. He is also seen leading the prayers.
AQIS said Ashraf alongside Qari Imran, outfit in-charge of Afghan affairs, was killed in a US drone attack on January 5.
While intelligence officials confirmed that Ashraf had been reported missing for the past 14 years and had crossed over to Pakistan for arms training, police officials did not comment on the claims of the family.