African Sri Lankans, mainly the Sri Lanka Kaffirs, are a very small Ethnic group in Sri Lanka who are descendants of slaves that were brought into the island by Portuguese colonists in the 17th century. There are currently around 1000 African Sri Lankans. They live in pockets of communities along the island's coastal regions of Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Negambo. The Portuguese colonists used them to fight the Ceylonese Kings.