Islamic militants launched a day-long assault on a southern Philippine village Wednesday during which they held 31 people hostage inside a school, authorities said, raising fears of spreading violence as other jihadists fought a month-long urban war nearby. Hundreds of gunmen attacked a lightly guarded military outpost at dawn, with some then taking over the … Read more
Islamic militants occupied a primary school and took hostages in a southern Philippine village on Wednesday, a few hours drive from a city where other jihadists were fighting a month-long war, authorities said. Hundreds of gunmen initially attacked a lightly guarded military outpost at dawn, with many withdrawing but about 30 then taking over the … Read more
Inside the “Heroes’ Ward” at a hospital in the Philippine capital, wounded soldiers read the Bible and recount horror stories of an unprecedented urban war against fighters linked to the Islamic State group. A month of combat in the southern city of Marawi has claimed the lives of 62 troops and injured hundreds of others, … Read more
About 200 gunmen attacked troops and occupied a primary school in a southern Philippine village on Wednesday, in what appeared to be a diversionary tactic to help Islamist militants engaged in a nearby urban war, authorities said. Police and the local mayor said militants took over the school after attacking an army detachment in Pigkawayan, … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte apologised Tuesday for a military offensive that has left the nation’s main Muslim city in ruins, but said it was needed to crush militants linked to the Islamic State group. Duterte also vowed that US-backed air strikes on Marawi would continue, as the conflict entered its fifth week with no sign … Read more
Philippine troops have rescued a Vietnamese sailor held hostage for seven months by Islamist militants in the country’s south, the military said Saturday. Hoang Vo, 28, was rescued by troops on Friday after an air strike and artillery fire on an Abu Sayyaf camp in the island of Basilan dispersed the kidnappers, regional military spokeswoman … Read more
Philippine troops pounded Islamist militants holding parts of southern Marawi city with air strikes and artillery Saturday as more soldiers were deployed and the death toll rose to more than 300 after nearly a month of fighting. Fires erupted and dark plumes of smoke rose from enclaves still occupied by the militants as the air … Read more
Islamist militants holding parts of a Philippine city are killing civilians who try to flee while using others as orderlies and cooks, authorities said Tuesday after the gunmen boasted of executions. There are up to 1,000 people still trapped in the parts of Marawi city that the militants control, the government said, three weeks after … Read more
Embattled Philippine troops struggling to force out Islamist militants from a southern city raised the national flag for Independence Day on Monday, in a tearful ceremony dedicated to the scores killed during the conflict. Thousands of Philippine soldiers, advised by US Special Forces, are locked in fierce combat with hundreds of insurgents who overran Marawi … Read more
US forces are providing the Philippines with technical assistance to end a siege of the southern town of Marawi by militants allied to the Islamic State (IS) group, more than two weeks into fierce fighting. Both Philippine military officials and US diplomats on Saturday insisted the American troops were not engaged in combat operations in … Read more
United States special forces are providing support to the Philippine military battling to dislodge Islamist militants in a southern city, the US embassy said Saturday, as 13 Filipino marines were killed in fresh fighting. Philippine troops are struggling to defeat hundreds of fighters, who rampaged through Marawi on May 23 flying black flags of the … Read more
The Philippine military on Friday asked Facebook to close dozens of accounts linked to Islamist militants who attacked a southern city, saying they were being used for propaganda. Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herrera said the armed forces’ social media unit uncovered 63 Facebook accounts belonging to the jihadists and their supporters. “These 63 accounts … Read more
More than 200,000 people displaced after Islamist militants attacked a southern Philippine city are facing deadly health risks, relief groups said Friday after a fleeing mother told AFP her baby died because of a lack of medical care. The onset of the rainy season could worsen the situation, the International Committee of the Red Cross … Read more
One local politician has been arrested and others are wanted for supporting Islamist militants who have taken over parts of a southern Philippine city, authorities said Thursday. Nearly 200 people have been reported killed since militants flying black flags of the Islamic State group went on a rampage in Marawi, the main Muslim city in … Read more
With bomb-proof tunnels, anti-tank weapons hidden in mosques, human shields and a “mastery” of the terrain, Islamist militants holed up in a southern Philippine city are proving a far tougher opponent than military chiefs expected. Two weeks after gunmen waving black flags of the Islamic State (IS) group rampaged through the Muslim city of Marawi, … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday ordered the military to “crush” Islamist militants still occupying parts of a southern city, as photos emerged of bombed buildings and mangled corpses. Duterte described the rampage in Marawi City by the militants, fighting under the Islamic State group flag, as a “rebellion” demanding a forceful response. “I am … Read more
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte offered large bounties Monday for the leaders of Islamist fighters holding parts of a southern city as the military warned its recapture may take longer than expected. Hundreds of gunmen loyal to the Islamic State (IS) group are battling air strikes, artillery and ground forces in Marawi. Up to 2,000 civilians … Read more
There are about 1,200 Islamic State (IS) group operatives in the Philippines, including foreigners of whom 40 are from Indonesia, the Indonesian defence minister told an international security forum Sunday. Speaking in Singapore amid a bloody standoff between Philippine troops and militants fighting under the IS flag in Marawi city, Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu called … Read more
Philippine authorities said Sunday they were trying to negotiate a ceasefire in a war-torn southern city to rescue up to 2,000 civilians trapped in areas held by Islamist militants for nearly two weeks. Government forces have bombarded Marawi with air strikes and waged fierce street-to-street battles with hundreds of gunmen since they began a rampage … Read more
Loud explosions rang out in the now mostly deserted city of Marawai on Friday as Philippine fighter jets launched fresh bombing runs in a bid to dislodge militants linked to the Islamic State group. Buildings burned after the raids, as ground forces shelled fortifications and tunnels in the eastern half of the mainly Muslim city, … Read more