KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 — The police have confirmed that four Malaysians have taken over slain Islamic State (IS) recruiter Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi’s role.

Special Branch Counterterrorism Division principal assistant director Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said in a New Straits Times report that these men were now the group’s "prime movers” in the country.

"They are Muhammad Rafiuddin, Akhbar Zainal, Muhammad Fuzail and Muhammad Zahar,” he said.

In the news report, Ayob said the number of Malaysian IS members in Syria has dropped from 95 to the current 56. Of this, he said, 36 are men and 20 women, aged between four and 50.

"Police have succeeded in arresting 300 IS members since 2013, and 141 had been charged (in court), with 43 charged under POCA (Prevention of Crime Act) and 23 under POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act), with the remainder released.

"This year, the police succeeded in detaining 36 IS members,” he was quoted as saying.

Muhamad Wanndy, 27, the man central to radicalising Malaysians to join the militant group, was killed in a drone strike in Raqqa, Syria on April 29.

Wanndy, who hails from Durian Tunggal, Melaka, masterminded the grenade attack at Movida Bar in Puchong last June — the first IS attack on Malaysian soil.

Four months prior to the attack he had, through a video, threatened an attack would take place in Kuala Lumpur.

In March, Wanndy was classified as a high-profile target for global law enforcement agencies after he was listed on the US Specially Designated Global terrorist.