Islamic radicals who have besieged
much of a southern city in the Philippines are trying to establish a regional
branch of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in that country. The Philippine military says the radicals
include foreign fighters and local gunmen.
The military is conducting air strikes, trying to regain control of the
city of Marawi that has been overrun by ISIS.
Marawi is located on the island of
Mindanao, where more than 100-people have died and 70,000 have fled since
terrorists launched their attack. Among
the dead are 9-Christians who were murdered merely for being followers of Jesus
Christ.
A Roman Catholic priest who was taken
hostage by the ISIS jihadists says he’s being held along with 200 other captives,
including children. In a video taken by
the jihadists, Father Teresito Suganob says under duress that his captors want
the military to withdraw its forces from Marawi.
Philippines troops have carried out “precision
attacks” with tanks and rocket launchers to target the radicals. Since they’re attempting to avoid civilian casualties
it’s more difficult to destroy the ISIS fighters.
The island of Mindanao has long been a
base for local Islamic radicals in the Philippines, and government officials
say they’re also getting outside help.
Philippine soldiers have taken control
of about 70% of the city. The head of
the Philippine military says three Malaysians, an Indonesian and a possible
Arab extremist were killed before they could murder an entire Christian village
in an audacious ISIS-style plot. Gen.
Eduardo Ano says the jihadists plotted to set Marawi ablaze and kill as many
Christians as possible in nearby Iligan city on Ramadan to create fear by
mimicking the terror seen by the world in Syria and Iraq.
Rev.
Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain
(Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor,
Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel
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