ISIS has released a group of reports describing the situation in the Philippines city of Marawi attacked by its militants on Tuesday.
According to the statements delivered by the ISIS-linked news agency Amaq, ISIS members captured the local jail and a police HQ as well as weapons and vehicles. Separately, the terrorist group has claimed that it freed 100 prisoners froom the captured jail.
#ISIS in the streets of Marawi city #Philippines pic.twitter.com/LesykEQYoz
— Ahmed Hassan (@SHAWSHANK5) May 24, 2017
Amaq also argues that some 70 servicemen of Philippines security forces were killed in clashes. However, this part is likely a common propaganda.
Defense chief Delfin Lorenzana said on Wednesday that only 3 government fighters were killed in clashes. According to media reports, some 12 troops were injured in clashes with terrorists.
It seems that while ISIS is struggling to hold on to its Middle Eastern bastions, its making inroads into Southeast Asia. Once they consolidate their grip in the southern Philippines, they can use that part of the country as a base of operations for the rest of the region.There are many in countries like Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia who overtly or covertly support the movement. And once ISIS starts hitting targets in Myanmar, Thailand and Singapore (non Muslim majority countries), that part of the region will go up in smoke. Well and truly, a domino effect. Just a question of time.. if the first three countries don’t do something to address the problem.
I wonder how they get local support in the Phillipines. The Phillipines are absolutely catholic. Where I live many people have Phillipine woman working as housekeepers , bartenders etc. One can see those girls every sunday in the church
Corruption or they pay them , that’s how it happened in Syria, since even though the majority prefer the government many extremists groups arrived.
The Philippines is a Christian majority country but the southern part of the country has a sizeable Muslim community. Prior to ISIS, the was a long standing insurgency by militant / guerrilla movements against the government, allegedly due to ethnic discrimination, self autonomy, etc. So trust or being cordial between the Muslims and the central government is difficult. And its not difficult to imagine ISIS gaining ground and even controlling such an area, because of the status quo.
no, boy, there are moslems. on mindanao island from end of 60-ies is civil war
Everywhere where Isis, al-Qaeda or other jihadist alphabet soup uprising also US strategic interests. So what is their interest in causing this mess in the Philippines?
only the CIA knows. Abu Sayyaf, Maute Group are ISIS affiliate. from the very start we already know some military generals are in contact with these groups.
Mindanao has had a muslim population since the 16th century, became muslim more or less at the same time Malaysia did.
yup
Southern island of Mindanao and neighboring islands have always been muslim and under Marcos regime they were pretty quite. Marcos kept a tight lid on them, Luzon, Viscaias, cebu etc,,, are majorly catholic.
If you have not ever been to Maguindanao and the hinterlands Cotabato and Lanao del Sur.. i would say the same way you’ve just said. Not to mention Basilan and Sulu.
Hi I’m from Malaysia. True . Many of my relatives overtly support ISIS and we do have at least a couple of supporters on line hdre in Miri with their rambling pro ISIS postings.
Not content with destroying swathes of the Middle East, the US is now likely destabilising the Philippines with ISIS due to the antipathy of President Duterte toward the US .
The US has it´s biggest naval base in Luzon, Subic bay since Mc Arthur time, the other big one is in Japan
Everywhere where Isis or al-Qaeda or other jihadist uprising there is US geopolitical interest. So what’s the objective here?
Just a message to Duterte from USA. I hope he won’t wait as much as Assad did before asking for help.
Yup! Loud and clear! Pentagon’s way of sending a message to Duterte’s f**k you USA rhetorics. Only fools will believe Maute Group/ISIS do not get their orders from their CIA handler.
Wow those civilians look so happy, they sure must be glad to be “liberated” by these criminals
Abu Sayyaf/Maute Group/ISIS are destroying the Islamic faith….to the delight of the corporations and the bankers.
This is exactly what Duterte wants. This gives him all the excuse he needs to go medival on their asses.