Police have arrested an individual who had raised the flag used by the fundamentalist militant group Islamic State (IS) in capital city Malé.

Although the police is yet to reveal the individual’s identity, their media official has confirmed the arrest and said that the individual has been remanded by seven days.

RaajjeMV understands that the flag was raised near a skating grounds at the Artificial Beach in Henveiru on Sunday.

A man named Muhammad Adam had posted a photo of the flag on his Facebook account and said that soldiers of IS in the Maldives are now publicly representing the militant group.

Researchers suggest that there are over 200 Maldivians fighting in perceived ‘religious’ wars abroad, however the government’s official figure refutes this and places the number much lower, at 30. 

The IS has a history that traces back to 1999, and began with strong ties to the Al-Qaeda. Its fighters are now active in parts of Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon.

While the IS fashions itself to be a caliphate that flaunts authority over Muslims worldwide, several Islamic nations and scholars have rejected its self-proclaimed statehood.