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[AcademicSaucer]

A group of heavily-armed militants from a group linked to Isis have reportedly stormed a city in the Philippines and engaged in firefights with the national army.

Residents of Marawi City, in the south of the country, were urged to remain indoors as at least 15 gunmen from a Muslim rebel group called Maute stormed the streets brandishing assault rifles.

The group, which is also known as the Islamic State of Lanao, have reportedly received support from Isis.

Troops and a special police force were deployed to the city after residents in a nearby village raised the alarm and appealed for help.

President Rodrigo Duterte then declared martial law and a state of emergency in the province of Mindano. General Eduardo Ano, the military chief of staff, said at least one police officer was killed and eight soldiers were wounded in the fighting.

Witnesses reported seeing men in attire similar to that worn by Isis militants walking the streets before firing at houses and government buildings.

The Maute is a radical Islamist group composed of former Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas and some foreign fighters.

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...-street-battle-terrorist-jihadi-a7751406.html

 

[Nekofrog]

Out of all the guys to fuck with duterte is probably not the one

Hope everyone is safe over there

 

[ChemicalCutthroat]

I've been seeing information fly about this on... imgur. Also linked to The Independent.

No one else really seems to be paying attention to it. But the information I've seen so far is rather terrifying.

 

[Meadows]

The Philippines is the wild west at the moment, hope it can recover from all this stuff recently

 

[dark_chris]

Out of all the guys to fuck with duterte is probably not the one

Hope everyone is safe over there

Oh yeah. The president is nuts

 

[Tamanator]

I've been seeing information fly about this on... imgur. Also linked to The Independent.

No one else really seems to be paying attention to it. But the information I've seen so far is rather terrifying.

Not surprising. Coverage of South East Asia by the news media is generally lacking which is always quite unfortunate.

 

[sturmdogg]

So Duterte says civilians can't own rifles anymore, and 20 bullets should be enough ammo. Then he says, in the same conference, civilians should get guns if they're qualified because it's dangerous out there.

Then this shit happens.

 

[Kurtofan]

Out of all the guys to fuck with duterte is probably not the one

Hope everyone is safe over there

too busy killing addicts to care

 

[Sunster]

I saw this on twitter, no one really seems to know what's going on. many people think they've "taken the city" then your link says just 15 guys.

 

[Kerensky]

Right when duterte is signing an arms deal with russia, very auspicious timing.

 

[somecrazymember]

Wtf?

 

[Mugsy]

So what is the relationship between the Philippines government, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and this new group the Islamic State of Lanao? Is there anyone who has been following this more closely to see how those three fit together and interact?

 

[Jeremy]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40022529

Philippines President Duterte declares martial law on Mindanao island

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has declared martial law on the southern island of Mindanao, where the army and insurgents have been fighting.

The violence in Marawi, a city of about 200,000 people, erupted on Tuesday as the army searched for the leader of a militant group that had pledged allegiance to so-called Islamic State (IS), the military said.

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana identified the militants as members of the Maute group. They had occupied a hospital and a jail, and burnt down buildings including a church, he added.

a BBC article from 30 minutes ago, though there's not much more info.

 

[AcademicSaucer]

It seems that they attacked the prison and freed the prisioners

https://twitter.com/geopolitiquee/status/867097836147675138

A police station seems to be on fire too'

 

[Autodidact]

Is this the area of the country with a history of Islamist separatist movements?

 

[Lautaro]

Out of all the guys to fuck with duterte is probably not the one

Actually the climate of chaos he created seems perfect for an ISIS linked group. His killings have probable made many people desperate and reduced safety across the country (also he alienated his major allies).

 

[addik]

I worked on translating this news for the international broadcasting of a TV channel here. The group attacking the city is not linked to ISIS in any way so far known (I think ISIS have publicly denied any links with the group). Some local authorities believe this is the group's way of trying to earn ISIS' attention/support.

Apparently, the military said they attacked the city to help free a captured Abu Sayyaf leader. But, the military seems to be giving some sketchy details (my opinion, lol). They say that the battle started when they and the police tried to infiltrate one of the group's small hideout. They apparently got the group secluded in an area, but on-the-ground info says otherwise.

 

[ChemicalCutthroat]

The images I saw were of some big trucks they used to block of streets. The poster said they were going into houses and asking people to quote something or another and killing them if they didn't. They also said they were forcing people into joining them or killing them if they resisted.

Seems it is really hard to get more specific info. That was from a poster, along with a bunch of photos, but I'm at work now and it makes imgur slow as dirt.

 

[Beefy]

Getting crazy in Marawi. There are reports of women being taken away for not wearing veils etc, homes being raided and ISIS flags going up everywhere. ISIS have also been reported to have stolen all the firetrucks and then set fire to buildings letting them burn down to ashes.

 

[ChemicalCutthroat]

This is nuts, Reuters has a write up about thousands fleeing the city as the fighting continues.

And then you have this lovely chilling gem from Duterte himslf...

"If I think you should die, you will die. If you fight us, you will die. If there's an open defiance, you will die, and if it means many people dying, so be it. That's how it is."

This is, of course, after Drumpf told him what a great job he's been doing.

 

[n00bsauce87]

Kinda brazen, is this the farthest they've traveled out in name and in such a force? I thought they would try and stay local in the Middle East

 

[CHEEZMO™]

Photo album

 

[Kerensky]

Photo album

This one gave me a good chuckle, happy ramadan friends!

 

[MMarston]

Boy, did I really pick a bad time to go back to this country later next month.

 

[enewtabie]

That's going to get out of hand quickly. I don't know much about their military. Can they handle this?

 

[jmdajr]

This don't look good man.

 

[Duxxy3]

This isn't going to end well.

 

[Meadows]

Photo album

christ

 

[chrisPjelly]

The best outcome of this is that Duterte will allocate more of his focus and resources towards annihilating these Isis wannabes instead of killing his own citizens.

 

[AcademicSaucer]

That's going to get out of hand quickly. I don't know much about their military. Can they handle this?

Duterte asked Putin for help

 

[Garrett Hawke]

Is this the area of the country with a history of Islamist separatist movements?

Yes. Very south Philippines.

 

[Damaniel]

When you turn your country into a lawless state, don't be surprised if people not particularly fond of laws come in to take advantage.

 

[Mr.Pig]

Kinda brazen, is this the farthest they've traveled out in name and in such a force? I thought they would try and stay local in the Middle East

That's not how Isis works. They're appealing to Muslim extremists all over the world who would love to join a winning team. Luckily they are becoming a losing team at the moment.

 

[Netherscourge]

So Duterte says civilians can't own rifles anymore, and 20 bullets should be enough ammo. Then he says, in the same conference, civilians should get guns if they're qualified because it's dangerous out there.

Then this shit happens.

This makes the US 2nd Amendment look pretty good too.

 

[Kerensky]

That's not how Isis works. They're appealing to Muslim extremists all over the world who would love to join a winning team. Luckily they are becoming a losing team at the moment.

Between Manchester, Indonesia, the Phillipines and the stand-still they managed to force in Syria, i would beg to differ.

With hatred against the west reaching new heights and the availability of second-generation European citizens who are unable to identify themselves with the society that they live in and reject it, the ummah has immense resources to draw from.

 

[NoFaceNico]

The Maute is a radical Islamist group composed of former Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas and some foreign fighters.

M.I.L.F. ????

 

[Chaos2Frozen]

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/philippine-troops-battle-militants-in-city-8882136

MARAWI, Philippines: Philippine troops aboard helicopters and in armoured tanks battled Islamist militants inside a southern city on Thursday (May 25), as reports emerged of the gunmen murdering civilians.

An initial rampage by the gunmen, who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, through the mainly Muslim city of Marawi on Tuesday prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to impose martial law across the southern third of the Philippines.

Authorities said ending the crisis was proving extremely hard because the militants were holed up in residential buildings, had planted improvised bombs in the streets and had taken Catholic hostages.

Anywhere between 50-100 gunmen, they're raided a prison and released 100 inmates. Sounds like The city is pretty much under siege.

 

[titiklabingapat]

Martial law has also been declared in the southern third of the country.

 

[brian577]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1378980

 

[Kabouter]

Hope the Philippine armed forces succeed in killing them soon and re-establishing order. Just horrible :/

 

[Chaos2Frozen]

Quite surreal reading this escalating

 

[Spoiled Milk]

Got bored of calling themselves Abu Sayyaf?

Kinda brazen, is this the farthest they've traveled out in name and in such a force? I thought they would try and stay local in the Middle East

The Muslims in the southern Philippines have been causing trouble for hundreds of years. They like to claim affiliation with global jihad movements but their aim is local (they affiliated with al Qaeda back in the day too.) Nobody is travelling, most of these guys are Filipino.

 

[Jimrpg]

As someone who lives in south east asia at the moment, it is truly the wild west in terms of law. I came here thinking they have nice shopping malls and internet and the basics are here, but yeah look beneath the surface and its anything goes.

 

[Chaos2Frozen]

As someone who lives in south east asia at the moment, it is truly the wild west in terms of law. I came here thinking they have nice shopping malls and internet and the basics are here, but yeah look beneath the surface and its anything goes.

#NotAllSEA

 

[akira28]

well he did threaten to eat them. and these are religious extremists who are literally seeking to die to go to heaven in many cases.

edit: reading about the Moro people, they've been fighting for centuries in defense of their beliefs. Yeah this isn't going to end quickly. Hope people will live.

 

[Nerazar]

Right when duterte is signing an arms deal with russia, very auspicious timing.

I don't believe in that coincidence anymore. ISIS always was a bargaining chip for Russia and for "cooperating" with them. Each time someone refused to "cooperate", something escalated, be it a terrorist bombing or that Islamist militants gained ground.

I still remember the right-wing comment posts on their first open military engagement in Syria and how glorious Putin would end ISIS within weeks or even days, because Obama didn't have the balls for that. Well, turns out that they didn't attack ISIS at all except some token efforts when they got too close to Russian bases... I wonder why.

So I hope Duterte can deal with this threat without Russian weapons and that he understands that this kind of threat will always "magically" emerge when he deals with Putin. Maybe Russia will suggest building same bases in the very province in which the attack happened - wouldn't that be a fun coincidence?

Btw: in the case of rampaging gunmen, I support his no-mercy policy.

 

[nephilimdj]

I don't believe in that coincidence anymore. ISIS always was a bargaining chip for Russia and for "cooperating" with them. Each time someone refused to "cooperate", something escalated, be it a terrorist bombing or that Islamist militants gained ground.

I still remember the right-wing comment posts on their first open military engagement in Syria and how glorious Putin would end ISIS within weeks or even days, because Obama didn't have the balls for that. Well, turns out that they didn't attack ISIS at all except some token efforts when they got too close to Russian bases... I wonder why.

So I hope Duterte can deal with this threat without Russian weapons and that he understands that this kind of threat will always "magically" emerge when he deals with Putin. Maybe Russia will suggest building same bases in the very province in which the attack happened - wouldn't that be a fun coincidence?

Btw: in the case of rampaging gunmen, I support his no-mercy policy.

Obama just wanted a dozen drone bases in Asia, even asking Australia to rent one of its islands. It was a failed plan as noone in Asia wants that level of imperialism, even with the threat of China.
Philippines already heavily operates with USA, I mean some of US Airforce fighter pilots were born in Phil and transfered. They have amazing cooperation.

This is horrid, issue is always is blood shed in these conflicts but photos like those show something has to be done.

 

[TacticalHotdog]

Some images of the ongoing operation. The Philippine military has launched airstrikes in 3 villages to try to flush out the remaining militants. 6 more soldiers have died in the fighting, but the hospital has been cleared and the staff rescued.

 

[Kastrioti]

Between Manchester, Indonesia, the Phillipines and the stand-still they managed to force in Syria, i would beg to differ.

With hatred against the west reaching new heights and the availability of second-generation European citizens who are unable to identify themselves with the society that they live in and reject it, the ummah has immense resources to draw from.

You can beg to differ but you're wrong. ISIS is losing and will lose in the end.

 

[Rubenov]

Kinda brazen, is this the farthest they've traveled out in name and in such a force? I thought they would try and stay local in the Middle East

They're locals. ISIS-linked, ISIS inspired, whatever. But these are radical Filipino Muslims.