An armed group in Iraq has claimed to have seized two truck drivers from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh who transported goods for US forces in Iraq across the Kuwait boarder.

Telivision chanel Aljazeera on Thursday aired a video from the group calling itself the Islamic Army in Iraq, showing the men.

The group said the two drivers, employed by a Kuwaiti company, were seized while they were driving their trucks into a US base.

Aljazeera quoted the group as saying the two men would be tried according to Islamic sharia law.

The Islamic Army in Iraq is one of several groups fighting the interim Iraqi government and its US backers and has claimed responsibility for attacks as well as abductions and killings of several captives.

Deputy Foreign Minster Vishwa Warnapala speaking to Sandeshaya claimed that “as a responsible Government we are using all available diplomatic channels and other avenues to secure his release”.

He said that the government has restrained agencies recruiting Sri Lankans for work in Iraq and the government is waiting for the information from its missions in the Middle East to take the necessary steps.

“Once we receive the information, on the basis of that we will be able to plan the next step to rescue him” added the deputy minister.

When Shandeshaya contacted Abdul Mansoor, Sri Lanka’s ambassador in Kuwait, he said that he has been able to get in touch with the relevant transport company.

Dharmendra’s brother in law, Pallaiya Suresh speaking to BBC Sandeshaya said that Dinesh went to Kuwait through an agency as a truck driver because he could not support his family as a bus driver in Sri Lanka.

Pallaiya added “once he arrived in Kuwait he was told that to get a higher wage he has to drive trucks to Iraq. This was not told to Dinesh beforehand. We got to know this from a letter he sent to his wife”.