The government said it has received information that 32 Sri Lankans of four families have joined the so called "Islamic State" in Iraq.

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe made this revelation in Parliament today.

In December 2015, a media report claimed that 45 people from nine Sri Lankan families have left for Syria to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist organization.

The ISIS, earlier in 2015, said that 16 Sri Lankans joined the organization along with the 'first ISIS fighter from Sri Lanka', who was known to the organization as Abu Shurayh As - Silani.