Rebel fighters prepare a locally made weapon before launching towards forces loyal to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad at the Tower 45 area, Latakia countryside, April 27, 2014. ― Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 — Fifteen Malaysians were allegedly killed in Syria after joining in terrorist and jihadist activities with Islamist militant group Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), according to the Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations in New York, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today.

It said that the news was conveyed by the Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations in New York in a press conference on June 18, 2014.

“As a peace-loving country that practices moderation, Malaysia abhors and does not condone any acts of terrorism or extremism by any parties, including its own nationals,” said a statement by the ministry today.

“In this regard, the Ministry is working closely with the relevant Malaysian authorities on this matter and has also requested the Syrian authorities to verify the allegations.”

The Syrian representative said that other Asean nationals had also joined such activities in Syria.

ISIS, also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), is a splinter group of al-Qaeda that wants to set up an Islamic caliphate encompassing both Iraq and Syria.

ISIS is viewed as a terror organisation by authorities both here and abroad.

A Malaysian suspected of being a member of ISIS was believed to have been the suicide bomber who killed 25 members of an Iraqi police team last month.

Earlier this month, three local men were arrested by police for suspected links to ISIS.

*A previous version of this story contained an error. This has since been rectified.