Philippines likely to become new IS stronghold in Asia
It is feared that southern Philippines is fast becoming a centre of extremist groups in Asia, as evidenced by dozens of foreign gunmen joining hands with local IS militants to fight security forces in the region last week.
Philippine soldiers participate in a raid in Marawi city. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – It is feared thatsoutꦅhern Philippines is fast becoming a centre of extremist groups in Asia, asevidenced by dozens of foreign gunmen joining hands with local IS militants tofight security forces in the region last week.
According to intelligence sources of thePhilippines, among 400-500 gunmen that occupied Marawi city in Mindanao islandsince May 23, some 40 came from other countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia,Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, India and Morocco. Eight out of 33 militants killed duringthe first four days of the Marawi clash were foreigners. Meanwhile, Indonesian authoritiesbelieved that among 38 Indonesian nationals came to southern Philippines tojoin IS-related groups, about 22 gunmen were fighting in Marawi. Rohan Gunaratna, a security expert atSingapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies noted that SoutheastAsia is one of the areas where the IS is expanding and the Philippines is thecentre of the intention. The violence in Marawi city erupted onMay 23 as security forces raided on the suspected house of Isnilon Hapilon, acommander of the Abu Sayyaf group and leader of a branch of self-claimedIslamic State (IS) in the Philippines. The US lists Hapilon as one of theworld's most dangerous terrorists and has offered bounty of five million USDfor his capture. On May 30, the Philippine Governmentannounced that it was about to re-gain control of the city, urging the gunmento surrender.-VNA
The Philippine government announced that it will not participate in the fifth round of peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), which is scheduled to be held in the Netherlands later this month.
Up to 2,000 Philippine people are still stuck inside Marawi city of Mindanao, southern the Philippines, as fierce fighting between the Philippine security forces and Islamic militants continues.
Indonesia is attempting to evacuate eleven of its nationals who have fled from a conflict area in southern the Philippines, said National Police Spokesman Inspector General Setyo Wasisto on May 29.
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Philippine soldiers participate in a raid in Marawi city. (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
