Egypt’s Extremist Group Pledges Allegiance to ’ISIL’

Local Editor

Egypt's deadliest militant group, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, pledged its allegiance to the "ISIL" terrorist group in Iraq and Syria, in a recording posted on its Twitter account on Monday.

"We announce our pledge of allegiance to the caliph Ibrahim Ibn Awad... to listen and obey," the audio recording said, referring to "ISIL" leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The group has waged a campaign of violence from its Sinai Peninsula stronghold that has killed scores of policemen and soldiers since the Egyptian army ousted Brotherhood president Mohamed Mursi in July last year.

It had previously expressed support for "ISIL", but stopped short of pledging its allegiance before Monday, even denying it last week.

Interior ministry spokesman Hany Abdel Latif said the announcement would make no difference to Egypt's fight against the militants.

"They are just different names for the same terrorists," he said.

Ansar Beit al-Maqdis was formed during the security vacuum that followed the overthrow of longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team