Belmokhtar rejects Daesh allegiance pledge

Algerian jihadist commander Mokhtar Belmokhtar distanced himself on Friday from a pledge of allegiance made by his jihadist group to Daesh organisation, Mauritanian media reported.

Belmokhtar's north African Al-Murabitoun group was linked to Al-Qaeda but a recording broadcast by Mauritanian news agency Al-Akhbar on Thursday said it was aligning itself with Daesh organisation and its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

But Belmokhtar described the declaration as "contrary to the basic texts governing the Al-Murabitoun movement", according to the agency, adding that it contravened guidance issued by the movement's "shura" advisory council.