MOSCOW, October 14 (RIA Novosti) - A spokesman for Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Shahidullah Shahid, said Tuesday that six Pakistani Taliban commanders including himself had pledged their allegiance to Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi, the caliph of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS).
"I pledge allegiance to the Caliph of Muslims…Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi… I will listen to and obey his every order, even if the situation is difficult, whether I like the order or not," Shahid was quoted as saying by the Wall Street Journal.
According to the Afghan online newspaper Khaama Press, the head of the Pakistani Taliban, Mullah Fazlluah, expressed his support to al-Baghdadi only, while the other top commanders, to the entire Islamic State (IS) group.
The IS, also known as ISIS or ISIL, is a Sunni extremist group that has been fighting the Syrian government since 2012. In June 2014, the group extended its attacks to northern and western Iraq, declaring a caliphate on the territories it had seized.
