This week it pledged to raise the Islamic State’s flag in South Asia and Khurasan – the historic name used by Islamist militants for an area covering Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Using the poetic language often favoured by jihadist groups, it said in a statement: “From today, Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi shall consider Tehreek-e-Khilafat and Jihad mujahideen fighters of Pakistan as one of the arrows among his arrows which he has kept for his bow.

“We are praying from the almighty Allah to give us chance in our lives to see the expansion of Islamic State boundaries toward the Sub­Continent and Khurasan region in order to hoist the flag of Islamic State here.”