DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan: A spokesman for a small Pakistani militant group claims that a delegation from the Islamic State (IS) group has visited Jundallah’s leaders in southwestern Pakistan.

Jundullah spokesman Fahad Marwat said on Wednesday that the visit took place this week in Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan province. He says the purpose of visit by the IS members was to see how it could work to unite various Pakistani militant groups.

Jundullah is a branch of the Pakistani Taleban, or Tehrik-e-Taleban Pakistan as the group is known. The TTP this week sacked its spokesman for announcing allegiance to the IS.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s military said on Wednesday it has carried out a “precise” airstrike against a militant stronghold in the country’s tribal region near the Afghan border, killing 19 militants.

The military says Pakistani warplanes also destroyed five militant hideouts in the Khyber tribal region. It says some important commanders were among the dead.

Also on Wednesday, Pakistani Army Chief Gen. Raheel Sharif presided over a meeting of top military commanders in the garrison city of Rawalpindi. The militarys says the gathering pledged to continue operations in North Waziristan and Khyber until the militants are eliminated.