The Philippine Star
October 20, 2017
Malaysian terrorist killed in Marawi
By Michael Punongbayan
President Duterte announced last night that top Malaysian terrorist Mahmud bin Ahmad is dead. The President confirmed the death of Mahmud at the 43rd Philippine Business Conference in Manila where he was the guest speaker.
“The other, they said Doc – there were three – Hapilon, Omar, and the Doc. I think he’s an Arab. He was taken this afternoon. And that completes the story,” he said.
Mahmud was believed to have taken over the terrorists in Marawi after the death of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon who was killed Monday along with Omarkhayam Maute, key leaders of the Maute group.
Asked for confirmation of Mahmud’s death, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Major Gen. Restituto Padilla said “yes”.
“Hostages rescued know who he is and reported he was killed last night” Padilla said.
Mahmud was among the 20 Islamic State-linked Maute extremists killed in the fighting overnight in Marawi City.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Eduardo Año earlier said the bodies of the dead militants, including that of Mahmud, were yet to be retrieved from the battle site.
Government troops killed 13 militants in the fierce firefight late Wednesday and seven more were killed early yesterday.
“The process to confirm this with finality, however, is still ongoing. Earlier information regarding this were received from the rescued hostages,” he said.
The troops in Marawi led by Col. Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Joint Task Force Ranao, said the ground forces are having difficulty retrieving the bodies of the killed militants.
He said the troops are meeting stiff resistance from the remaining Maute terrorists.
Mahmud, who used the nom de guerre Abu Handzalah, was a close associate of Maute and Hapilon.
The military said Mahmud had brought together Hapilon and the Maute group and bankrolled the siege of Marawi.
Padilla said six soldiers were slightly injured in the fighting.
Two civilian hostages – a mother and her teenage daughter – were also rescued, he said.
He said the information about Mahmud was based on what the rescued mother and daughter told the military.
Año said the mother and her daughter were rescued in the continuing efforts to clear the main battle area and get the hostages out of harm’s way.
“Our operations to flush out and deal with terrorist stragglers have been continuing relentlessly since yesterday,” he said.
Año said around 20 hostages remain in the main battle area with soldiers doing their best to rescue them with motivation to finish the battle for Marawi.
Padilla said troops discovered that there may be more militant fighters remaining in a small battle area than earlier estimated.
A security analyst said two more Malaysian extremists in Marawi should be accounted by the military. Rommel Banlaoi, chairman of Philippine Institute for Peace Violence Terrorism Research, said Malaysians Amin Bacud and Amah Durayne should be located by the troops since they also played vital roles in the siege of Marawi. – Roel Pareño, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jose Rodel Clapano, AP |
Manila, 20 ott 09:26 - (Agenzia Nova) - La legge marziale in vigore nell’isola di Mindanao, teatro nei mesi scorsi del lungo assedio delle forze di sicurezza filippine alla città di Marawi, occupata dai terroristi dello Stato islamico, rimarrà in vigore fino alla completa soppressione della minaccia terroristica. Lo ha dichiarato ieri il presidente filippino, Rodrigo Duterte, rispondendo alle pressanti richieste delle opposizioni parlamentari filippine, che dopo la liberazione di Marawi hanno chiesto con insistenza la revoca delle misure emergenziali nell’isola. “Quando è giunto il momento, ho proclamato la legge marziale. Tutti mi chiedono quando finirà. Non finirà finché l’ultimo terrorista sarà stato eliminato”, ha detto il presidente.
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18 /10/2017
Duterte says Marawi liberated, still skirmishes
The Latest on the militant siege in the southern Philippine city of Marawi
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has declared the southern city of Marawi liberated though the military continues to battle a dwindling band of Muslim militants.
Duterte spoke Tuesday in Marawi before an audience of troops at a ruined school campus more than a kilometer from the area where fighting continues.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I hereby declare Marawi city liberated from the terrorist influence," he said to cheers.
Military chief Gen. Eduardo Ano told AP that Duterte's statement means the threat from the militants, who've been fighting in Marawi since May 23, is substantially over. "They're leaderless and they have no more organization," he said. "There are still skirmishes."
Noon
Sporadic gunfire and explosions can be heard in the southern Philippine city of Marawi as soldiers fight the remaining Islamic militants to gain control of the last pocket of the city.
The military, which killed two key militant leaders on Monday, hopes it is the final phase of defeating a dwindling band of fighters who have occupied Marawi for five months.
Military spokesman Restituto Padilla said Tuesday there were 20 to 30 militants left, including about six to eight foreign fighters.
The lakeside city has been devastated by fighting that began May 23.
Philippine flags hung from pockmarked buildings and houses, their roofs either blasted away or riddled with gunshot holes.
Soldiers stood guard in front of some buildings and at intersections where battle debris has been shoveled to the side.
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