Intense clashes continued between ISIS and the Philippine Army in the city of Marawi.
The Philippine Air Force targeted ISIS positions with several air strikes using FA-50Ph fighters, OV-10 close air support fighters and AgustaWestland AW109 and MD-500 helicopters.
Supersonic. Sniperproof. The FA50 fighter jets have joined the battle for Marawi. pic.twitter.com/U2EjHDBvy0
— Chiara Zambrano (@chiarazambrano) June 1, 2017
According to the Philippine intelligence, the number of ISIS fighters in the city is about 400 fighters. 40 of them are foreigners who have been brought to the Philippines recently, especially from Middle Eastren countries.
More than 100,000 civilians have fled the fighting in Marawi so far. A majority of the city still under ISIS control as for now, according to local sources.
Earlier this week, 35 civilians (according to the local authorities) lost their life as a result ofattack by a lone ISIS militant on the Resorts World Hotel in Manila, Philippines.
On Friday, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack through its ISIS-linked news agency Amaq. The attack was carried out by Abu al-Khair al-Arkhabili,who opened fire on civilians in the hotel. ISIS claimed that at least 100 civilians were killed and wounded in the attack.
Photos from Marawi:
A soldier walks past a graffiti as government troops continue their assault on insurgents from the Maute group, who have taken over large parts of Marawi City, Philippines June 2, 2017. The graffiti reads: “Always loyal.” REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco TEMPLATE OUT
Soldiers onboard military trucks ride along the main street as government troops continue their assault on insurgents from the Maute group, who have taken over large parts of Marawi City, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco
Soldiers stand guard along the main street of Mapandi village as government troops continue their assault on insurgents from the Maute group, who have taken over large parts of Marawi City, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco
An OV-10 aircraft drops a bomb during an airstrike against the Maute group, who have taken over large parts of Marawi City, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco
Smoke billowing from a burning building is seen as government troops continue their assault on insurgents from the Maute group, who have taken over large parts of Marawi City, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco
Soldiers onboard a military truck ride along the main street of Mapandi village as government troops continue their assault on insurgents from the Maute group, who have taken over large parts of Marawi City, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco
Soldiers prepare to board a helicopter as government troops continue their assault on insurgents from the Maute group, who have taken over large parts of Marawi City, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco
Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) ride along the main street as government troops continue their assault on insurgents from the Maute group, who have taken over large parts of Marawi City, Philippines June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco
It is events like this that leads me to think that I don’t really know what is going on. I certainly was not expecting this attack in the Philippines. It has to be added that the President of the Philippines was not expecting the attack either as he was away in Russia when it happened. Does anyone know what the next ‘surprise’ will be.
My money is on Eritrea.
Its simple ISIS works fro Israel as does the USSA etc. Its not the American empire its the racist supremacist Zionist Jewish Empire.
All countries with a muslim minority or majority are in danger.
The whole ISIS thing in the Philippines is mostly a ruse by the insurgents themselves. In fact, the whole ‘insurgency’ is more like a widespread provincial gang war for territorial control. ISIS isn’t ‘invading’ despite western MSM shrieking like little girls that they are.
There are hundreds of different armed gangs/clans/alliances. The Muerte Group is (or at least ‘was’) an alliance of a few major clans in the region with a few hundred armed insurgents. They, in turn, make alliances with other gangs, mob bosses and insurgent groups that come and go. The Muerte Group has been around for a while, but they’re not the ‘leaders’ or the biggest players. Nobody is. The Muerte Group wants to look scary to the other gangs (and government) in the area so they dress up like ISIS and fly a few black flags, but they’re not really ISIS. There just a group of clan gangs pretending to be ISIS.
The top picture graffiti says Forever Muerte, Fuck IS (someone added IS so it reads ISIS). That shows you where they’re loyalties lie: to the Muerte clan itself or (less likely) the Muerte Group alliance, but not to ISIS. They hate ISIS, but find the costumes/flags useful.
The area is mostly muslim, but there’s nothing really ‘religious’ at the core of the insurgency. They are rebelling for more autonomy, not for independence from the Philippines or to establish a caliphate. Duerte would disagree.
There are some gangs that lean more jihadi and extremist, but this is not any kind of unified war to establish a caliphate or anything like that. It has little relation to ISIS or their goals. Some of the more radicalized, jihadi-type gangs have members that were part of ISIS, but this is Philippine mob warfare, not some kind of nonsense ISIS invasion. The Muerte Clan is pretty radical and was associated with a few random ISIS guys, but this is all about their clan getting more money and power, not about any bogus ‘muslim uprising’. In fact, the MSM has been so eager to push this line that I’m starting to think the U.S. is behind this to ‘regime change’ Duarte.
Thanks. This sound very plausible and was what I half suspected. I thought that there might be a ‘drug’ element considering the Presidents actions.
It’s not just msm. It’s very strange that duterte is saying that maute and Abu sayyaf want to establish isis. After saying Abu sayyaf aren’t criminals. I’m thinking the president doesn’t know whats going on either. Or is being controlled or has other plans. I’m thinking Noone knows what’s going on
If anyone remember: Ghadafi, Assad and Hussein were all pushed into a paranoid, tyrannical crackdown FIRST by a CIA-manufactured terrorist ‘threat’ – whether real or imagined – to the then leaders. I would guess that nearly the same thing applied to Erdogan and is at work with Duarte. Next phase is MSM demonization for their crackdown and ‘brutal dictatorship’, then come the ‘good’ freedom rebels supported by the U.S.
Leaders are killed, CIA puppets installed, mission accomplished.
Hard to say whether duterte is in on it at all?? I think he is. the army and many people are already pro American so those freedom rebels won’t be hard to find. Like maybe he’s being used to try to get closer to Russia and China and to deceive them as well. But they are too smart for that. I don’t think the zionists want Philippines to become anti sementic /ant zionist since the Philippines is one of least anti sementic /ant zionist countries in planet. Does seem like Philippines can’t win for losing with China and the zionists at front and back door.