Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan pledged allegiance to ISIS

Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan officially pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.

Leader of IMU Usman Ghazi praised Al-Qaeda for their long struggle based on several decades and then praised Taliban for their sacrifices and battle against NATO and its allies. IMU also criticized Pakistani Taliban (local Taliban of Gull Bahadar in North Waziristan) who gave up fighting against Pakistani troops in North Waziristan. Islamic movement of Uzbekistan says that their fighters were besieged from four sides in North Waziristan by Pakistani forces and their fighters fought on their own without proper assistance from local Taliban who are led by Hafiz Gull Bahadar.

IMU thou relied on TTP for survival and were given sanctuary in tribal areas by Pakistani Taliban have now declared alliance with ISIS who is a rival to Taliban and Al-Qaeda.  IMU didn’t criticize Taliban and Al-Qaeda as ISIS does usually instead they advised ISIS to use scholarly methods in declaring one apostate and avoid Takfir (Declaring one apostate) against those Jihadist groups who haven’t accepted the legitimacy of ISIS caliphate.

It’s important to note that not all Uzbek fighters in Khorasan are part of IMU and the Afghan Media claim of Uzbek presence in North Afghanistan who are assisting Taliban in their Azm offensive are actually from Islamic Jihad Union. Islamic Jihad Union is affiliated with Al-Qaeda and they recently released the details of their involvement in Taliban led operation Azm.

Related Article: Islamic Jihad Union