Former Pakistani Taliban Militants Join IS, Behead Soldier

January 11, 2015

A new video released online shows a group of Pakistani and Afghan militants beheading a Pakistani soldier after pledging allegiance to the Islamic State jihadist group.​

In the Arabic-language video, whose authenticity could not immediately be confirmed, a group of turbaned militants holding rifles and black IS flags, are seen gathered in an undisclosed forested area.

A militant identified by the SITE intelligence group as former Pakistani Taliban spokesman Shahidullah Shahid is then seen addressing the crowd to announce pledges of allegiance to IS from leaders of various groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

At the end of the 16-minute video a man identified as a Pakistani soldier is seen being beheaded with a machete.

Islamic State, which controls large areas of Iraq and Syria, has gained a foothold in Pakistan and Afghanistan in the past year.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP