Washington: An Urdu-language jihadi internet forum has reportedly published over two dozen high-definition images of what it calls the "Rohingya Mujahideen", with a note suggesting that the Pakistan Taliban has successfully established a jihadi unit of Rohingya Muslims, Bangladeshi, Indonesian nationals.
According to the Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor of the Middle East Media Research Institute, a leading Washington-based research institute that specialises in translating and monitoring jihadi media networks operating in local languages and through social media, these images have been posted on the Bab-e-Islam Jihadi Internet Forum and linked from a Facebook account on July 12. The Bab-e-Islam Internet Forum images show this Pakistan Taliban created jihadi outfit undergoing combat training somewhere in Burma.One image of these jihadis offering namaz has appeared in the web site Arrahmah.com.
Some of the images feature men with obscured faces that could be prominent Taliban commanders who went to train them. The Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor of the Middle East Media Research Institute further quotes the Urdu written note, as saying that this new jihadi force has entered Burma, Myanmar, under the leadership of Commander Abu Sufiya and Abu Arif. The note also states that these mujahideen recently destroyed two Burmese military combat vehicles and killed 17 soldiers. They also beheaded three followers of Buddhism who they claimed were responsible for the killing of Muslims.A priest was also among the victims, the Urdu note informs.
Rohingya Muslims have been in international headlines over the past year after they were attacked by the majority Buddhists in Burma or Myanmar.
Hundreds of ethnic Rohingya Muslims have been killed and thousands have been displaced due to these attacks by Buddhists.
From the images, it appears there are around 100 to 200 Rohingya Mujahideen dressed in military fatigues and undergoing shooting practice.
The Washington-based research institute says the Urdu version of Ansarullah jihadi forum in Arabic mainly functions via the Bab-e-Islam forum.
ANI