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Military monitoring 16 foreign terrorists in Mindanao


The military is monitoring at least 16 foreign terrorists in Mindanao who are operating with members of the Maute Group, the Abu Sayyaf, and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

Military officials said the foreign terrorists — Malaysians and Indonesians — were monitored in Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao provinces.

According to Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera, spokesman for the Army's 1st Infantry Division, 10 of these foreigners are in Lanao del Sur assisting and training members of the Maute Group and the Abu Sayyaf.

"Based on our monitoring, there are more or less 10 confirmed foreign terrorists here," Herrera said. "These are Malaysians and Indonesians who want to establish a Wilayat but they are not successful."

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana early this year bared that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has contacted senior Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon and instructed him to establish a Wilayat or caliphate in Mindanao."

Officials believe Hapilon was in Lanao del Sur when the military bombarded a Maute Group camp last January, resulting in him getting injured.

"They are being watched, they are being monitored," Herrera said of the foreign terrorists.

Meanwhile, in Maguindanao, 6th Infantry Division spokesman Capt. Arvin  Encinas said they have monitored six Indonesian bombers in the company of the BIFF, under Ismael Abubakar alias Commander Bungos.

"They are with the BIFF members in the recent firefight, these six Indonesians," Encinas said, reffering to the last week's encounter in the  tri-boundary of Talayan, Guindulungan, and Datu Piang towns.

"They are Daesh-inspired," said Encinas of the six Indonesians. "They are helping the Maute Group in the manufacture of bombs and in training." —KBK, GMA News

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