Marawi

Philippine suicide attacks under IS influence

A number of apparent suicide bombings in the Philippines over the past 12 months are a worrying escalation of militancy driven by the influence of the Islamic State (IS) in Southeast Asia, security experts say. A decades-old Islamist insurgency in the southern Philippines has killed tens of thousands.But suicide attacks have been used extremely rarely, with foreign fighters blamed for the few that have been carried out.Authorities now fear however the most recent suspected suicide at

3 July 2019
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Will Marawi become a terrorist magnet?

Two years after the Philippine city of Marawi was overrun by jihadists it remains in ruins, with experts warning that stalled reconstruction efforts are bolstering the appeal of extremist groups in the volatile region.The 23 May, 2017 invasion by gunmen waving the black flag of the Islamic State (IS) group sparked a five-month battle that shattered swathes of the southern city.Demolition of blast-pocked buildings has finally begun, but after several false starts the government does not expect

24 May 2019
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Battle of Marawi: Three months on

It has been just over 100 days since the Battle of Marawi, the military siege that lasted five months, from May to October last year. The Manila Times reported in October that over 47 civilians and around 970 militant terrorists were killed. Conflict between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the coalition of Islamic State (IS) militants resulted in destruction of the city as a result of firefights, bombings and air strikes.

20 December 2018
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No home to return to

The battle to establish Marawi as a wilayat or provincial territory by the ISIL-affiliated Maute-Abu Sayyaf group and the ensuing firefights to liberate the city by the Philippine government security forces was declared over by President Rodrigo Duterte, on 17 October, 2017. The five-month conflict claimed the lives of 920 militants, 165 government security troops and 47 civilians, while 1,780 hostages were rescued during the crisis.

23 October 2018
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Battle of Marawi: Three months on

It has been just over 100 days since the Battle of Marawi, the military siege that lasted five months, from May to October last year. The Manila Times reported in October that over 47 civilians and around 970 militant terrorists were killed. Conflict between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the coalition of Islamic State (IS) militants resulted in destruction of the city as a result of firefights, bombings and air strikes.

4 February 2018
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The threat of terrorism in Southeast Asia in 2018

The Delhi Declaration that was announced recently during the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit is a mutual commitment “to further deepen and strengthen” the strategic partnerships of all 10 ASEAN countries with India. One of the more interesting highlights of the declaration is the call for stronger partnerships in countering terrorism within the region.

2 February 2018
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Soldier, five rebels dead in southern Philippines clash

Five Muslim rebels and a soldier were killed during a weekend ground and air assault by Philippines security forces on militants supportive of the Islamic State group in a restive southern region, the military said Monday. The Philippine army pounded some 50 militants with artillery in a five-hour attack on the island of Mindanao Saturday, according to regional military spokesman Captain Arvin Encinas. One soldier and at least five members of the rebel Bangsamoro Islamic Fre

8 January 2018
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Philippines' Duterte wins extra year of martial law powers

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte won martial law powers across the southern third of the country for one more year on Wednesday to combat Islamic militants and leftist rebels, as Congress brushed aside fears of a looming dictatorship.Duterte's request to extend martial law in the Mindanao region until December 31 next year and detain rebellion suspects there without charge was approved by 240 votes to 27 at a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives.Asked by reporters

14 December 2017
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Philippines to charge woman for recruiting siege fighters

The widow of a slain Islamist militant leader will be charged for allegedly using social media to recruit Islamic State sympathisers to join a five-month siege of a southern city, Philippine authorities said Friday.Hundreds of local and foreign gunmen who had pledged allegiance to IS rampaged through Marawi, the principal Islamic city in the mainly Catholic Philippines, starting in May -- sparking the nation's longest urban war that claimed more than 1,100 lives.

1 December 2017
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Attacking terrorrists through their wallets

On 23 September, the Islamic State (IS) Al-Hayat media wing released a three-minute propaganda video featuring radicalised Singaporean, Megat Shahdan Abdul Samad. In the video, he urged Muslims to wage religious war – or jihad – in East Asia and bring upon “black days” on “crusaders” here.

23 November 2017
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ASEAN Roundup: October 23 - 29, 2017

King Bhumibol AdulyadejHundreds of thousands of Thais gathered in the capital city of Bangkok, Thailand, to say their final goodbyes to King Bhumibol Adulyadej during the four-day cremation ceremony.

29 October 2017
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