Egypt's Jihadist Group Pledges Allegiance To ISIS

Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, a jihadi organization based in the northern part of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, Associated Press reports.

The announcement pledging loyalty to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi came in an audio speech posted late Sunday on the Egyptian militant group's official Twitter account and a militant website.

The unknown speaker says Ansar Beit al-Maqdis decided to join the Islamic State group "whose emergence resembles a new dawn raising the banner of monotheism."

Earlier last week, the group denied on its official Twitter account reports saying it had pledged allegiance to al-Baghdadi.

Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, whose Arabic name means Champions of Jerusalem, has claimed responsibility for a number of lethal attacks mainly targeting Egyptian security forces.