Philippines:

Daesh-linked militants kill 5 Muslims

Rasa - Militants linked to the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the Philippines have killed several Muslim fighters from a former rebel group that signed a peace agreement and is now helping the government fight extremists.

News ID: 431773

Date: 18 August 2017 - 23:18

RNA - Police Senior Superintendent Agustin Tello said five fighters from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front died in their latest clash with the militants on Friday.

The Daesh-linked militants belonged to the Bangsamoro extremist group, which had tried to launch a bomb attack in Datu Salibo town in the southern province of Maguindanao, according to reports.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which signed a 2014 Muslim autonomy accord with the government and has been touted as a government ally in its fight against extremism, has been battling a pro-Daesh group faction of the militant group since early this month.

Security officials say terrorist groups in the region have pledged allegiance to Daesh in order to increase their military influence in Muslim-populated areas in Southeast Asia.

Governments across Southeast Asia have been on high alert since terrorists from local militant groups, which have pledged allegiance to Daesh, overran the southern Philippine city of Marawi about three months ago.

Security forces in Indonesia and Malaysia have been on the watch for extremist militant cells.

The Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, which is financed by certain Persian Gulf Arab states led by Saudi Arabia and is mainly concentrated in Iraq and Syria, has been taking heavy blows from government forces and is on its last legs, searching for safe havens to flee.

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