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Marawi fighting: Foreign fighters 'among militants' in Philippine city | Marawi fighting: Foreign fighters 'among militants' in Philippine city |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Foreign fighters are among Islamist militants killed in a southern Philippine city over the past days, officials say. | Foreign fighters are among Islamist militants killed in a southern Philippine city over the past days, officials say. |
Six jihadists, including Indonesian and Malaysian citizens, were killed as the army continued its operation to drive the rebels out of the city of Marawi. | Six jihadists, including Indonesian and Malaysian citizens, were killed as the army continued its operation to drive the rebels out of the city of Marawi. |
Attack helicopters and special forces have been deployed in the offensive. | Attack helicopters and special forces have been deployed in the offensive. |
It is a rare admission by the authorities that local jihadists are working with international groups. | It is a rare admission by the authorities that local jihadists are working with international groups. |
Marawi is a mainly Muslim city in Lanao del Sur province on the southern island of Mindanao. The province is a stronghold for the Maute group, which has pledged allegiance to so-called Islamic State (IS). | |
What is happening in Marawi? | |
Fighting erupted after a failed army raid to capture a top militant leader. At least 11 soldiers and 31 militants have been killed, a military spokesman said. | |
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte imposed martial law in Mindanao on Tuesday in response to the violence. | Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte imposed martial law in Mindanao on Tuesday in response to the violence. |
Martial law allows the use of the military to enforce order and the detention of people without charge for long periods. | Martial law allows the use of the military to enforce order and the detention of people without charge for long periods. |
What's the IS link? | |
Manila's solicitor-general said that what used to be domestic rebels have now subscribed to the ideology of IS. | |
"What is happening in Mindanao is no longer a rebellion of Filipino citizens. It has transmogrified into an invasion by foreign fighters," Jose Calida told a news conference. | |
"They want to make Mindanao part of the caliphate." | |
The government had always downplayed the numbers of foreigners amongst the local fighters, Sidney Jones, director of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict in Jakarta told the BBC. | |
"And it's crucial that the government acknowledges that there is a serious IS problem in the Philippines," she says, explaining that a much better co-ordination between local and national authorities was needed to deal with the situation. | |
The admission confirms what observers see as moves by IS targeting the majority Muslim southern Philippines to establish a stronghold in South East Asia. | |
"It is clear that the number of men from both Indonesia and Malaysia who have travelled to Mindanao has increased over the past year," Ms Jones explains. |