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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Al-Qaeda's Zawahiri pledges loyalty to new Taliban chief | Al-Qaeda's Zawahiri pledges loyalty to new Taliban chief |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has pledged allegiance to the new Afghan Taliban chief in an audio message posted online. | Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has pledged allegiance to the new Afghan Taliban chief in an audio message posted online. |
| The pledge to Mullah Akhtar Mansour was issued by al-Qaeda's media arm al-Sahab and was Zawahiri's first message since September last year. | The pledge to Mullah Akhtar Mansour was issued by al-Qaeda's media arm al-Sahab and was Zawahiri's first message since September last year. |
| There had been speculation about whether Zawahiri was himself dead since the death of former Taliban head Mullah Omar was confirmed last month. | There had been speculation about whether Zawahiri was himself dead since the death of former Taliban head Mullah Omar was confirmed last month. |
| Zawahiri offered his condolences. | Zawahiri offered his condolences. |
| Significant oath | Significant oath |
| Al-Qaeda and Zawahiri considered Mullah Omar to be the leader of the global jihadist movement. | Al-Qaeda and Zawahiri considered Mullah Omar to be the leader of the global jihadist movement. |
| This was however contested by al-Qaeda's rival, the Islamic State (IS) militant group, which announced the establishment of a caliphate last year. | This was however contested by al-Qaeda's rival, the Islamic State (IS) militant group, which announced the establishment of a caliphate last year. |
| In the recording, released on jihadist websites and accompanied by a still image of Zawahiri, he said: "As emir of al-Qaeda, I pledge to you our allegiance, following the path of Sheikh (Osama) bin Laden and his martyred brothers in their allegiance to Mullah Omar." | |
| The death of Mullah Omar has been exploited by IS to try to drive defections from al-Qaeda, analysts say. | The death of Mullah Omar has been exploited by IS to try to drive defections from al-Qaeda, analysts say. |
| IS has been steadily expanding into al-Qaeda's turf. | IS has been steadily expanding into al-Qaeda's turf. |
| Mullah Mansour's appointment as Taliban leader had been questioned by some senior members of the movement, leading to reports of divisions. | Mullah Mansour's appointment as Taliban leader had been questioned by some senior members of the movement, leading to reports of divisions. |
| Al-Zawahiri's message - while impossible to independently verify - will be seen as significant. | Al-Zawahiri's message - while impossible to independently verify - will be seen as significant. |
| Pledges of allegiance are key to a Taliban leader's legitimacy, as breaking an oath is viewed as a sin, experts say. | Pledges of allegiance are key to a Taliban leader's legitimacy, as breaking an oath is viewed as a sin, experts say. |