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Rebels declare Islamic State in parts of Iraq, Syria

Militants from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claim to have established "caliphate" in parts of Iraq and Syria

30.06.2014 - Update : 30.06.2014
Rebels declare Islamic State in parts of Iraq, Syria

ANKARA

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant announced the establishment of a caliphate in Iraq and Syria, and designated its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as "caliph", the head of the state, late on Sunday.

Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, the militant group's spokesperson, posted a video on Twitter, calling on all jihadist factions across the world to pledge allegiance to them.

An official document was also posted in English and several other languages, saying al-Baghdadi would be known as "Caliph Ibrahim", and claimed he had fulfilled all the conditions Islamic scholars had identified for the establishment of caliphate -- the political-religious state for the Muslim community.

The militant group also removed "Iraq and the Levant" from its name and said it would be known simply as "the Islamic State."

"The veil has been lifted and the truth has become clear. Indeed, it is the State. It is the state for the Muslims – the oppressed of them, the orphans, the widows, and the impoverished. If you support it, then you do so for your own good," said the statement. 

The militants called on all Muslims to put an end to partisanship and divisions, which are prohibited by Allah, and claimed any who do not recognize or oppose the state would be harming themselves.    

The caliph, meaning successor, is a title given to Islamic leaders who follow Islam's prophet Mohamed, who must fulfil Islamic laws in all the lands under the caliphate. There has been no recognized caliphate since shortly after the end of the Ottoman Empire; the institution was abolished in 1924, after the establishment of the Republic of Turkey.

The announcement came as the Iraqi army was attempting to push back against ISIL who, with the support of tribal fighters, seized Iraq's second-largest city, Mosul, on 10 June and later captured a number of other towns in the north including Tikrit and Tal Afar.

They also control of Al Qaim, Rawah, Anah, Ratba and Haditha in the western province of Anbar.

Iraq's army has been combatting the armed groups linked to ISIL in Anbar, Fallujah and Ramadi provinces since 2004.

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