The flag of the Syrian al-Qaeda-affiliated group Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

NBC News – Sunni insurgent group Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) declared themselves a caliphate and dropped “al-Sham” from their title, according to a statement delivered by their spokesman.

Abu Muhammad al-Adnani said other jihadi factions — even those beyond Iraq and Syria — were rendered “invalid.” He urged them to pledge allegiance to the newly named “Islamic State.”

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