Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today condemned Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria in Iraq, which he said commit appalling crimes against civilians.

"We must fight extremism with moderation and work to rebuild the bonds between communities shattered by war.

"Muslims around the world have watched in horror as a new conflict tears into Syria and Iraq. As reports of mass executions and killing of civilians surface and graphic evidence of brutality emerges, we have been appalled," Najib (right) said.

Issuing a lengthy statement on the matter, Najib’s latest stand comes after he was reported to have urged Umno members to follow the same militants’ bravery, in June.

Najib, however, clarified that his remark on the bravery of the militants, then known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) was taken out of context, but did not explain what he had meant.

'Against Islam'

In his statement today, Najib said that IS does not speak for Islam and condemned their exploitation of the religion to perpetuate violence.

Urging international action to stop the atrocities, he said what IS is doing is “against the teachings of the Prophet”.

“(The Prophet was) a man of peace and moderation and against Islamic law, which prizes the protection of life above all," he said.

"We do not recognise the vision of our faith being forced on innocent civilians - whether Sunni, Shia or Christian - over the barrel of a gun," he said.