Nigerian militant group Boko Haram has pledged allegiance Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
According to an audio statement posted on Boko Haram’s Twitter account, though it could not immediately be verified, the group has officially pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.
The message appeared to be by the group’s leader, Abu Bakr Shekau.
“We announce our allegiance to the Caliph … and will hear and obey in times of difficulty and prosperity,” the message said, according to the jihadist monitoring group SITE.
Boko Haram, designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., began a military campaign to impose Islamic rule in northern Nigeria in 2009. It has since spread to neighboring states including Chad, Niger and northern Cameroon.
