[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’ Search for other Marawi extremists continues ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY PRINCE GOLEZ
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=’18’ font_color=” color=”]
MANILA – Hostilities in Marawi City have yet to end despite the deaths of two leaders of Islamic State-linked extremists, an Armed Forces official said.
There are still an estimated 20 to 30 “stragglers,” including six to eight foreign terrorists, according to Spokesperson Restituto Padilla.
A “notorious” Malaysian doctor, Mahmud Ahmad, who helped finance the Marawi siege, remains to be a high-value target, Padilla said.
Omar Maute, a leader of the eponymous local terror group, and Isnilon Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf Group leader who has pledged allegiance to IS, were killed by state forces trying to recover the last remaining Maute stronghold on Monday.
Padilla warned the residents of Marawi against returning to their homes amid the clearing operations.
“The military needs time for clearing operations in areas where residents live,” he said at a press briefing in Malacañang.
Earlier Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana said they were also still searching for Omar Maute’s brother Abdullah.
Padilla assured that soldiers, airmen, sailors, marines, policemen, and coastguards are “determined and focused” to finish the clearing “as soon as possible.”
“Please, be patient,” said the Armed Forces’ deputy chief of staff for plans. “We ask for our citizens to understand the predicaments that we still face.”
The military is not discounting possible “sympathy attacks” in light of the deaths of Maute and Hapilon.
They are ready to thwart any retaliatory attack, according to Colonel Edgard Arevalo, Armed Forces’ Public Affairs Office chief.
Arevalo said the military actively coordinates with concerned sectors, local government units and the community in fighting terrorism.
Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella urged the remaining terrorists in Marawi to surrender.
“With terrorist leaders gone, we call on all fighters to cease further resistance and violence and return to the road of peace,” he said.
Malacañang also commended the military.
“Hundreds of hostages were saved with no violations of rights and religion,” said Abella. “This has laid a strong foundation for peace and recovery.”
“We will intensify offensives across Mindanao to counter further attacks and to wipe out ISIS cells seeking to exploit people’s grievances for evil,” he said, using another acronym for the Islamic State. (With PNA/PN)
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
