SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association)
By Jamie Schram
There’s at least one nation that’s not sweating ISIS.
Pakistan officials seemed cool as a cucumber on Friday after reports surfaced this week of a potentially deadly merger between the bloodthirsty jihadis and the equally barbaric Pakistan Taliban in their country.
“It shows a desperate effort by a decimated [Pakistan Taliban] to find external support for survival,” an Embassy of Pakistan spokesman said. “They are a weak and broken group because of the successful operations of the Pakistani forces.”
In a dramatic announcement Tuesday, six prominent members of the Pakistan Taliban turned their allegiance away from Afghan Taliban spiritual leader Mullah Omar to the head of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
“I pledge allegiance to the Caliph of Muslims, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi,” Pakistan Taliban spokesman, Shahidullah Shahid, said. “I will listen to and obey his every order, even if the situation is difficult, whether I like the order or not.”
Five regional commanders also declared their unbridled support for al-Baghdadi, who, in June, declared himself the Caliph of the Muslim world and ordered all Muslims pledge their allegiance to him.
The proposed merger of the two terror groups was seen as a serious threat to the security of Pakistan, which has nuclear weapons.
But the Pakistan Embassy spokesman stressed that they’re laser focused on dismantling every terror group in their country. “Our security forces are successfully moving forward with ground operations in [Federally Administered Tribal Areas] as well as intelligence driven operations in the urban areas of Pakistan to eliminate any potential terrorist cells,” the spokesman said.
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