Conflict Alert - Thread

[Stealth007]

The intention of this Thread is not to start a political discussion of the ongoing war in these regions and what everybody see as the best solution......

But just like me i think many of us phillippino travelers must and will have ladyboy friends or love once or there familie members living in these area , and will like to make a visit......

With this Thread i will try to post and keep everybody update with the ongoing developments and where are the hotspots to avoid and where are the safe zone where you can still travel

I will also appreciate feedbacks and post of any fillippino ladyboy fans that have been most recently in these area and can give up to date info , all are most welcome.....

 

Greetz , Stealth

[Stealth007]

Philippines Travel Warning

Latest advice, 9 May 2017

On 9 May 2017 the US Embassy in Manila issued a security alert advising that it has received credible information that terrorist groups may be planning to conduct kidnapping operations targeting foreign nationals in the areas of Palawan Province, Philippines, to include Puerto Princesa City, and the areas surrounding Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. Avoid large crowds and gatherings and remain vigilant (see Safety and security). The level of this advice has not changed. We continue to advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in the Philippines overall. Higher levels apply in some parts of the country.

Page Content

Summary

• Exercise a high degree of caution in the Philippines due to the high threat of terrorist attack and the high level of crime. Seek specific advice for the locations you intend to visit.
• Reconsider your need to travel to eastern Mindanao due to the very high levels of violent crime and the high threat of terrorist attack and kidnapping. See Safety and security.
• Do not travel to central and western Mindanao due to the very high threat of kidnapping, terrorist attack, violent crime and violent clashes between armed groups. See Safety and security.
• The deterioration in security in Mindanao has resulted in a more volatile security environment in the Philippines. Travellers are reminded of the high threat of terrorist attack in the Philippines, including Manila. Exercise heightened caution at this time. Be vigilant about your surrounds. Monitor the media for information that may impact on your security. Follow local authorities' advice. See Safety and security.
• A security incident on 2 June 2017 at the Resorts World Hotel in Manila, near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, resulted in a number of deaths and injuries. Ninoy Aquino International Airport is operational, contact your airline or tour provider to confirm your flight details.
• There are ongoing clashes between government forces and militants in Marawi City, Mindanao. If you are in Marawi City, exercise heightened vigilance and review your personal security plans. See Safety and security.
• On 23 May 2017, the Philippines Government declared Martial Law in Mindanao for 60 days. Measures imposed under Martial Law may include the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, the imposition of curfews and establishment of checkpoints. Monitor media reporting and follow the instructions of local authorities. See Safety and security.
• There is an ongoing threat of terrorist attacks and violent crime in the Philippines, including in Manila, other major cities and many rural areas. Be alert to possible threats around locations that have a low level of protective security and places known to be possible terrorist targets.
• On 3 November 2016, the US Government warned that terrorists are planning to conduct kidnappings in areas frequented by foreigners on the southern part of Cebu Island, specifically the areas around Dalaguete and Santander (including Sumilon Island). See Safety and security.
• There is an ongoing threat of terrorist attacks and violent crime in the Philippines, including in Manila, other major cities and many rural areas.  Exercise particular caution around locations that have a low level of protective security and places known to be possible terrorist targets. See Safety and security.
• Following a terrorist attack in Davao City on 2 September which killed 14 people and injured more than 70 people, the Philippines Government has declared a state of lawlessness. Travellers should expect an increased police presence across the Philippines, including police checkpoints. Continue to exercise heightened vigilance and follow the advice of local authorities. See Safety and security.
• There is a very high threat of kidnapping in the southern Philippines, especially at coastal resorts and isolated coastal locations. The threat is highest along the Zamboanga peninsula and in the Sulu Archipelago. Groups based in the Sulu Archipelago have demonstrated the capability to carry out attacks at locations around Mindanao and in eastern Malaysia. See Safety and security.
• Recent attacks have also created concerns that these groups have the capability to target locations frequented by tourists in southern Palawan, southern Negros or Siquijor. See Safety and security.

Safety and security

Terrorism

Travellers are advised that the U.S. Embassy in Manila has informed its citizens it has received unsubstantiated yet credible information that terrorist groups may attempt to conduct kidnappings in Central Visayas, which includes both Cebu and Bohol provinces.

On 28 December a number of injuries were reported following a bombing at a boxing tournament at Plaza Rizal, Hilongos, in Leyte. No foreign nationals were injured.

On 1 December 2016 the Chief of the Philippines National Police announced an increase to the security threat alert in the Philippines, including Manila, due to an ongoing terrorist threat. This follows the arrest of two suspects for their alleged involvement in planting an improvised explosive device near the US Embassy. Expect increased security in public areas including transport hubs and shopping centres. Remain vigilant and follow the advice of authorities.

On 3 November 2016, the US Government warned that terrorists are planning to conduct kidnappings in areas frequented by foreigners on the southern part of Cebu Island, specifically the areas around Dalaguete and Santander (including Sumilon Island).

Following a terrorist attack in Davao City on 2 September which killed 14 people and injured more than 70 people, the Philippines Government has declared a state of lawlessness. Travellers should expect an increased police presence across the Philippines, including police checkpoints. Exercise heightened vigilance and follow the advice of local authorities.

Terrorist attacks, including bombings, are possible anytime, anywhere in the Philippines, including in Manila. We continue to receive information that indicates that terrorists may be planning attacks in the Philippines, with the southern Philippines most at risk.

In planning your activities, consider the kind of places known to be terrorist targets and the level of security provided. Possible targets include commercial and public places frequented by foreign nationals such as transport hubs, hotels, shopping malls, clubs, restaurants, bars, schools, markets, places of worship, outdoor recreation events and tourist areas.

Eastern Mindanao: Reconsider your need to travel to eastern Mindanao (including the provinces of Bukidnon, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Davao Oriental) due to very high levels of violent crime and the high threat of terrorist attack and kidnapping.

Central and western Mindanao, including the Zamboanga Peninsula and the Sulu Archipelago and the southern Sulu Sea area: Do not travel to central and western Mindanao (including the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Cotabato City, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Saranggani, Misamis Occidental, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao and the Sulu Archipelago and surrounding waters) due to the very high threat of terrorist attack, kidnapping, violent crime and violent clashes between armed groups.

Armed clashes between Philippine security forces and insurgent groups could occur without warning, particularly in central or western Mindanao. A serious armed clash took place between militants and the security forces on 25 January 2015 in Maguindanao. Since then there has been an increase in the security presence in Maguindanao and North Cotabato.

Recent armed clashes, bombings and kidnappings in Zamboanga and armed clashes in Maguindanao demonstrate a heightened threat environment in those areas. Possible targets include locations where people gather, which may include hotels, shopping centres, restaurants and educational and government facilities in and around Zamboanga City. Armed clashes between rival clans and other armed groups occur frequently in central and western Mindanao, often resulting in multiple deaths and injuries and the displacement of local populations. Terrorist attacks are frequent in central and western Mindanao.

If, despite our strong advice against travel, you decide to visit central or western Mindanao, seek professional security advice and have effective personal security measures in place.

Kidnapping: There is a very high threat of kidnapping in the southern Philippines, especially at coastal resorts and isolated coastal locations. The threat is highest along the Zamboanga peninsula and in the Sulu Archipelago. Groups based in the Sulu Archipelago have demonstrated the capability to carry out attacks at locations around Mindanao and in eastern Malaysia.

Recent attacks have also created concerns that these groups have the capability to target locations frequented by tourists in southern Palawan, southern Negros, southern Cebu or Siquijor.

If you choose to visit coastal resorts around southern Palawan, southern Negros, southern Cebu or Siquijor, exercise caution and ensure your hotel has appropriate security measures in place. Avoid isolated coastal locations, especially after dark.

Warning for sailors: Yachts and other vessels in the southern Sulu Sea and those sailing between Sabah, Malaysia and Palawan in the Philippines are also at risk from kidnapping. In November 2016 a yacht was attacked in waters between eastern Sabah and Sulu by militants based in the southern Philippines. One German national was killed on the yacht and another killed after several months in captivity. In April 2014 two German nationals were kidnapped from their yacht in the Sulu Sea near Palawan Island, and were released after six months in captivity. A number of commercial seamen have also been kidnapped from cargo vessels in the area in 2016. See our travelling by boat page for more information. 

Numerous locals and foreign nationals have been kidnapped in central and western Mindanao, including in the Zamboanga Peninsula and the Sulu Archipelago. In December 2011, an Australian citizen was kidnapped in Zamboanga Sibugay. Other kidnappings in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Sulu Archipelago have involved Philippine nationals and citizens of European countries, the United States, China, Korea, Malaysia, India and Japan, among others. Kidnap victims are sometimes held in captivity for long periods of time before being released. Others have been killed by their captors.

On 21 September 2015, three foreign tourists were reportedly kidnapped from a resort on Samal Island, near Davao City in Davao del Norte. In October 2015, another foreign national living in Dipolog on the Zamboanga peninsula was kidnapped. Two German nationals were kidnapped from their yacht in the south Sulu Sea, near Palawan Island, in late April 2014. This incident, and other recent kidnappings of Swiss and Dutch nationals, underscores the ongoing threat of kidnapping in tourist locations in the Philippines.

The Australian Government's longstanding policy is that it does not make payments or concessions to kidnappers. The Australian Government considers paying ransoms increases the risk of further kidnappings. If you do decide to travel to an area where there is a particular threat of kidnapping, seek professional security advice and have effective personal security measures in place. See our Kidnapping threat bulletin.

Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. See our Terrorist Threat Overseas bulletin.

Civil unrest/political tension

Militant groups operate in rural areas throughout the Philippines and are involved in attacks on targets primarily associated with the security forces. Armed clashes between Philippine authorities and communist rebels regularly take place in many rural areas of the Philippines, especially eastern Mindanao and remote areas of northern Luzon.

Due to the risk of violent insurgent attack that exists in rural areas across the Philippines, exercise caution when travelling and avoid, where possible, security forces facilities and deployments.

Crime

Exercise a high degree of caution in the Philippines because of the high level of serious crime. Violent crime remains a significant problem in the Philippines. Criminal gangs that drug and rob or assault unsuspecting tourists are active in Manila, including the Makati central business district, and in provincial resort towns.

As in many other big cities, street crime is of concern particularly in crowded shopping malls and other public places. Pickpocketing, bag snatching and a range of scams, including those involving credit cards and automated teller machines, are common.

Gun ownership is widespread and poorly regulated, contributing to a higher incidence of violent crime. Gunfights between police and criminals are common, including in parts of Manila frequented by foreign nationals. These incidents often result in multiple deaths and injuries, sometimes including innocent bystanders. If you witness a confrontation between police and criminals, leave the area immediately.

Taxis sourced from hotels are more reliable than those hailed on the street.

Avoid travel on public buses, light rail and jeepneys where possible as opportunistic crime may occur. Armed hold-ups have occurred and in some cases have led to fatalities.

Insurgent groups operate in rural areas throughout the Philippines and are involved in violent criminal activities. Extortion activities involving violence occur regularly and are often aimed at business interests, including mining projects.

 

[Stealth007]

THE PHILLIPPINES TRAVEL ADVICE - MAP !!!

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WILL LIKE A BIGGER ( FPD ) FORMAT OF THIS MAP , JUST SEND ME A PM AND I WILL DROP ONE IN YOUR PM BOX !!!

 

[Stealth007]

 

 

[Stealth007]

Terrorism in the Philippines: Places You Should Avoid

While most of the Philippines is friendly and beautiful, there are areas that are unsafe. Of course you want to stay safe, so take a quick look through this list of places to avoid, and make your visit to The Philippines safe and fun.

• Military Areas in the Philippines
• Terrorism Risk in the Philippines
• Will I Get Kidnapped in the Philippines?
• Is The Philippines Danegrous?

Military Areas in the Philippines

The military is an ever-present force in the Philippines, due mainly to the high risk of terrorism. Even when a ceasefire has been called, violence could flare up again at any moment, without warning. So, regardless of the current state of affairs during your stay, it‘s best to avoid these areas altogether.

Terrorism Risk in the Philippines

Terrorism is perhaps the biggest threat to tourist safety in the Philippines and continues to be an increasing and ongoing problem.

The whole of the far south is a no-go zone: The areas of Mindanao, the Sulu Archipelago and the Zamboanga Peninsula are all considered extremely dangerous and travelers are advised not to go there. The terrorist group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has been blamed for a numerous violent incidents, kidnapping, and frequent clashes with the Filipino security forces.

Spinoff terrorist groups, like the Abu Sayyaf Group and Jema‘ah Islamiyah, have broken away from MILF and are particularly dangerous. They are responsible for bombings which have resulted in property damage, injury and death. The more rural areas of the country, including the island of Luzon to the north, should be avoided as they have seen increased presence of the terrorist organization The New People‘s Army (NPA).

Over the past few years, terrorist acts involving explosive devices in North Cotabato Province, Basilan, Isabela City, Jolo, Cotabato City, Makati and the Zamboanga airport have collectively resulted in the deaths of 41 people and severe injury to well over a hundred others. Most of these bombings took place on public transportation, such as buses, and in crowded locations like restaurants and cathedrals.

The unpredictability of terrorist acts makes them that much more dangerous, so the best way to avoid becoming a victim is to steer clear of the locations where they are more likely to occur.

Will I Get Kidnapped in the Philippines?

The risk of kidnap is especially hazardous for tourists because the terror groups target foreigners for the high profile publicity - and the high ransom they can obtain from relatively wealthy families. Thankfully, these crimes are not widespread. The following locations carry a higher risk of kidnapping and should be avoided:

• Sarangani Province
• North Cotabato Province
• South Cotabato Province
• General Santos City
• Sultan Kudarat Province
• Lanao del Sur Province
• Lanao del Norte Province
• Iligan City
• Pangutaran Island

Additionally, several foreigners have been captured in Zamboanga City, Pagadian City, Patikul and Jolo in recent years.

Early in November 2016 The US government has issued a warning to its citizens, and by implication any foreigners, traveling to the southern part of Cebu island in The Philippines. The warning says the notorious kidnap and ransom rebels, Abu Sayaf, intend to target foreigners in holiday destinations, including the Dalaguete, Santander and Sumilon island resorts.

The US government advice, repeated by other foreign departments including Australia’s DFAT, is for travelers to avoid these areas, to review personal security plans, to remain alert to their surroundings , monitor local news reports for updates and be vigilant.

Again, like terrorism, kidnappings are difficult to predict and therefore can be challenging to avoid. Your best bet is to travel in groups and stay away from areas that have seen an increase in recent kidnapping incidents. There are plenty of beautiful locations within the Philippines to see and explore without having to venture into these troubled places.

Is The Philippines Danegrous?

As a whole, the Philippines is a lovely place to visit with minimal risk of crime or danger. There are, however, locations within the country in which the risk of harm to foreigners is heightened and therefore should be avoided. Just know what areas to avoid and stick to the places that are not as dangerous and you will be able to experience the beauty of the Philippines without incident.

 

Kidnapping Danger in the Southern Philippines

Even the most experienced travelers ignore warnings about the risk of kidnap in the south of The Philippines at their own peril.

It might seem like a big adventure to go to less-travelled parts of The Philippines, but be warned, you'll be taking a big risk if you ignore warnings about the kidnapping of foreigners.

• When Does a Philippines Adventure Become Too Risky?
• Avoiding Danger & Unacceptable Risk in the Philippines

When Does a Philippines Adventure Become Too Risky?

Back in February 2012 three foreign nationals on an adventure trip in the far south of the country were kidnapped by Abu Sayaf. Kidnappings by this criminal/terror outfit often do not end well.

Ransom is one of the methods used by Abu Sayaf to fund their long-running campaign for an independent Muslim state in this part of the predominantly Christian country, and they don't care how long they have to hold their captive until they get paid. Australian man Warren Rodwell, who was not a tourist but lived in the region with his Filipina wife, was taken just before Christmas 2011. He was finally released in June 2013. There's been no comment on whether the $2million ransom was paid in full, in part, or not at all.

Back to the foreign travellers in February 2012. According to local authorities the men were travelling between remote islands in the Tawi-Tawi group to capture images of rare birds. They were spotted by gang members in a passing motorboat. They stopped them and took them captive at gun point. An unlucky encounter, or a calculated risk gone bad?

The danger to foreigners in this region is well known. Most governments tell their citizens not to go there under any circumstances.

There‘s evidence they were also warned about the risk by local authorities. Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali told The Associated Press he sent along a town council member and an off-duty police officer because the foreigners had refused an armed escort.

There must have been a big incentive to go to this notoriously dangerous region, maybe bragging rights at the bird watching club, or more likely, big money from wildlife magazines for shots of a rare Sulu Hornbill? Maybe they calculated they didn‘t want an armed escort because a Marlboro-smoking goon with an AK-47 scares the birds away just before you press the shutter button.

Avoiding Danger & Unacceptable Risk in the Philippines

It might seem like a big adventure to go to less-travelled parts, but it is important not to let your sense of adventure blind you to the real risks. Those travel warnings are in place for a reason. Plus, local knowledge is always best, if the provincial governor wants you to take an armed escort, listen to him.

But in the end it‘s up to each person to make their own call on the level of risk they‘re prepared to accept. These photographers deliberately put themselves in harm‘s way, went to a region where kidnapping is a real risk, where they know it will be extremely unlikely they‘ll be able to get emergency assistance of any kind. Would you be surprised to learn there‘s no way a regular travel insurance policy would cover them, and their home governments are powerless to help? No, me neither.

There are some amazing things to lure the adventurous to this region. Whether it's a pristine beach surrounded by clear blue waters, or a rare Sulu Hornbill bird.... but you have to ask yourself is it worth the risk?

 

 

[strocube]

Oh my, looks like I may need to reconsider traveling to the Philippines this year. Too bad:/

[SiamSam]

Stealth, what do you think the increase in public unrest is attributed?

[Stealth007]

@SiamSam

I am bussy traying to find that out my self , but i dont have no answer to that question yet....

Greetz , Stealth

[Stealth007]

18 hours ago, strocube said:

Oh my, looks like I may need to reconsider traveling to the Philippines this year. Too bad:/

@Strocube

Offcourse each person have to evaluate and decide for them self what is safe or not in all situation in life and what is going on and happening in the phillippines is for sure no exception......

But me personaly will not let these ( NPA ) attacks prevent me for going to the phillippines , i will keep going each year for a month , but i am balancing each event that happend to see how safe the place is.......

Plans are in the making for me to go to CDO again next year for me to visit this famouse Camiguin Island , i am keeping a close eye on all events but till now all is on green and ready to go......

 

Greetz , Stealth

 

 

[Stealth007]

17 hours ago, SiamSam said:

Stealth, what do you think the increase in public unrest is attributed?

@SiamSam

Like anything else in the phillippines its very difficult for you to pinpoint the exact reason for anything happening , there mindset is totaly different from ours and they can change with in sec nearly no logic at all.....

Until now they are mostly on a sabotage rampage and try to supply there troops and a power play with the elected president , things can change for the worse but until now that is what i am seeing going on......

Greetz , Stealth

[Stealth007]

My advice to every one is to do your home work and look at how the situation is at the moment your planning to go

I will try to keep this thread as up to dat as possible with the latest news......

My advice to you all is also if you have a girl or ladyboy in any of these danger zone , if you have the means let her come over to your safe zone like Cebu then you are not so far away and most flights from these area go to Cebu or you can let her take a ferry , easy......

Greetz , Stealth 

[strocube]

Thanks so much for the updates and intel Stealth.

Was talking to a Filipino dude on the way into work this morning, and he said the problems were mostly in the southern part of the country. I mentioned I was thinking of going to Cebu, and he suggested I would be fine there as long as I am not an overt drug user (meth). Never touch the stuff, but I do love the herb, which I will be abstaining room for the duration of my stay there. A small price to pay. 

So, for now, Cebu is back on. Love those silicon free ladyboys. 

 

[sydneyjohn57]

Stealth, I note that you have posted your travel advice from the Australian government Smart Traveller site. It is a great site which I check for whichever country I am about to travel to and I suggest everyone here check it in conjunction with your own country's foreign affairs websites prior to making any travel plans anywhere

[Stealth007]

What makes tracking these groups and activity so difficult are the amount of lone wolfs and lose fractions that some time operate on there own and have there own agenda......

But the two most ( Dangerous Terrorist Groups ) operating there in the phillippines are the ( Maute & Abu Sayyaf ) which are both a split fraction from the MILF.....

The Maute insurgents are located at , ( Butig , Lanao Del Sur )

The Abu Sayyaf insurgents are located at , ( Basilan , Jojo Island - Sulu )

Until now the ( Abu Sayyaf ) terrorist group cause the most damage with the most carry out attacks with lots of dead among the fillippino people and the lead group in kidnapping foreigners...... 

After Abu Sayyaf group you have the NPA group which on his terms is bussy with a so call robinhood style operations , but are as dangerous on all front

 

Another problem that is getting more real and problematic by the day is the elements of this terror organisation that is coming back home or fleeing the warzone now that the heat is on where they are right now and it looks like the phillippines is the perfect breeding ground.....

 

Southern Philippines could be the destination for some IS extremists:

 

KUALA LUMPUR: As Islamic State (IS) loses ground in the Middle East, some of its fighters could relocate to the southern Philippines from where they could plan attacks around the region, security experts have warned.

Counter-terrorism expert Sidney Jones said in a recent paper on the IS threat published by the Lowy Institute for International policy that pro-IS extremists may use bases there to plan hits in Mindanao and Manila, or train operatives to carry out attacks elsewhere in the region.

“It is unlikely that hundreds of foreign fighters will flee there as Islamic State is pushed back, but even a dozen could cause serious damage,” added Jones, who is also director of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC).

Malaysian police share the view that the southern Philippines is unlikely to be the destination for significant numbers of IS operatives currently in the Middle East, but there is nonetheless some cause for concern.

“Those who are currently in Syria and Iraq are unlikely to go to the southern Philippines. But those who are planning to carry out jihad may go there,” Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, chief of counter-terrorism for Special Branch, the intelligence arm of the Royal Malaysian Police, told Channel NewsAsia.

On Tuesday (Apr 4), Singapore’s Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam said that the potential “locus” of  IS’ threat could move to the southern Philippines, which is becoming an area that is difficult to control despite the best efforts of the Philippine government.

SABAH A JUMPING OFF POINT?

According to a former militant, Ali Fauzi of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), the group behind the 2002 devastating Bali bombings, some Indonesian IS returnees will relocate to the southern Philippines.

“Some Indonesian IS members whose passports were not confiscated by IS in Syria and Iraq will move there,” Ali told Channel NewsAsia.

“They will transit first to Malaysia before going to the southern Philippines to avoid detection,” said Ali, the younger brother of two Bali bombers who were executed for their role in the attack.

According to Ali, the Indonesians could use Sabah as a jumping off point into the southern Philippines, given its porous borders and proximity to the Philippines.

“This is the route I used to use myself when I travelled to southern Philippines to purchase weapons from Indonesia. I used Sabah as the jumping off point via the towns of Tawau, Semporna, Sandakan,” Ali added.

IPAC’s Jones described Sabah as a “vital gateway (for) Islamic State militants”.

Since late 2014, extremists from Indonesia and Malaysia and a few foreigners from further afield have been working with pro-IS groups based in Mindanao and Basilan, according to Jones.

Several of those groups formed an alliance in early 2016 with the blessing of IS central command and swore loyalty to a Basilan-based leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), Isnilon Hapilon, as amir (leader). They had reportedly planned to announce the establishment of a Southeast Asian province (wilayat) of Islamic State, based on the island of Basilan, off the southwestern tip of Mindanao, according to Jones.

“It never happened, for reasons that are unclear, but Southeast Asian IS leaders in Syria have been urging their followers at home to join the jihad in the Philippines, and local leaders have been recruiting as well,” said Jones.

“The number of foreigners working with the alliance remains small (officials say less than 10), but they include highly educated men with good funding networks, including several from peninsular Malaysia,” she added, pointing out that there is a low threat of IS setting up a caliphate in the southern Philippines.

A former Universiti Malaya lecturer Mahmud Ahmad, who underwent training with Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, is currently believed to be an important fund-raiser for the group and recruiter for Malaysian IS members in southern Philippines, according to Malaysian police.

MILITARY OPERATIONS "NOT EFFECTIVE"

Since President Rodrigo Duterte came to power, the security situation has worsened with a spike in kidnappings in the Sulu archipelago.

There were 18 hostages when he assumed office in June last year. Now there are 31, of which 25 are foreigners, reported the local press. An elderly German hostage was beheaded last February.

Duterte threatened to impose martial law on Mindanao island in March as part of the efforts to fight militants.

He also stepped up military operations against suspected IS camps in 2016-17, killing many fighters and wounding Abu Sayyaf's leader Hapilon earlier this year, said Jones.

However, Jones believes that military operations are not the solution to the highly complex problem of militants in the southern Philippines, who are guided by a combination of terrorism and warlordism.

“Military operations aren't effective because they're a simple solution to a very complex problem. In Mindanao, extremist affiliations are intertwined with clan loyalties and old-style warlordism,” she told Channel NewsAsia.

“This means that often, local government officials belong to the same extended families as extremists. Military operations may produce a high kill rate but they also are likely to breed determination for revenge. An important part of the solution, but it's a long-term one, is improving local governance,” she said.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/southern-philippines-could-be-the-destination-for-some-is/3654972.html?cx_tag=morestories4ucna&cid=tg:recos:morestories4ucna:standard#cxrecs_s

[manilaman]

We had news of this in Cebu in October (some people discredited the story but we'll maybe never know)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/831459/6-abu-sayyaf-men-sneak-into-cebu-cops-alert-public

[Stealth007]

@Manilaman

Yesss , i was in Cebu for Sinulog and witness it all first had , ( Citylock Down ) for telephone and other internet connection with ATM not working and exchange office close , will finish my TR soon , i made some pics to show a few....

Greetz , Stealth

[Stealth007]

LATEST NEWS , ALERT AND UPDATE !!!!!!

On 9 May 2017 the US Embassy in Manila issued a security alert advising that it has received credible information that terrorist groups may be planning to conduct kidnapping operations targeting foreign nationals in the areas of Palawan Province, Philippines, to include Puerto Princesa City, and the areas surrounding Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. Avoid large crowds and gatherings and remain vigilant

[Stealth007]

.

[Stealth007]

Marawi - The Last - 48 Hours

 

MARAWI CITY: It was meant to be a “surgical operation” to capture one of the world’s most wanted terrorists, who was hiding and wounded in a southern Philippine city. But it went spectacularly wrong.

Three days later Marawi, the center of Islam in the mainly Catholic Asian nation, was swarmed by tanks, attack helicopters and thousands of troops fighting Islamic State (IS)-linked fighters holed up in homes and buildings.

President Rodrigo Duterte had also declared martial law across the southern third of the country to quell the crisis, while many of the 200,000 residents had fled and security forces had lost their target: Isnilon Hapilon.

Forces had initially been confident they would capture or kill the elusive Hapilon, regarded by the United States as one of the world’s most dangerous terrorists. The US government offers a $5-million bounty for his capture.

The military had for months been conducting offensives against Islamist militants in nearby mountains, and came close to killing Hapilon during a bombing raid in January.

After receiving intelligence that he had come to Marawi for medical treatment and was hiding in a house, a small group of security forces conducted what two military spokesmen described as a “surgical operation” to get him.

But, even though the region is a known hotbed of Islamist militants, the troops were taken by surprise when dozens of gunmen emerged to defend Hapilon, then go on a deadly rampage throughout the city.

“We had been pummelling them in the mountains, but were caught unaware when they entered Marawi,”
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana conceded in a briefing to reporters on Wednesday.

Compounding the problem was the support for the gunmen from locals, connected by clan ties.

“The problem here is they have a lot of relatives inside Marawi City,” Lorenzana said.

Five soldiers, two policemen and 13 militants have died in the ensuing clashes, according to authorities, with up to 40 gunmen still believed to be hiding in the city holding a priest and other people abducted from a Catholic cathedral as human shields.

If Hapilon does escape, it would be a huge blow for the Philippine authorities in their efforts to stamp out what Duterte has said is a fast-rising threat from the IS group.

IS linchpin

The government and security analysts consider Hapilon as the linchpin of an effort to unite various small Muslim armed groups in the country’s lawless south and neighboring countries under the black IS flag.

Hapilon, 51, initially gained notoriety as leader of the Abu Sayyaf, a US-listed terrorist organization that was founded with seed money from Al-Qaeda in the early 1990s.

The Abu Sayyaf, based on remote, Muslim-populated islands in the far south of the Philippines, has earned many millions of dollars by kidnapping hundreds of Filipinos and foreigners, and demanding ransoms.

In 2001 he helped lead the abduction from a western Philippine resort island of a group of local and foreign tourists. Two American hostages eventually died, one of whom was beheaded.

The Abu Sayyaf is also blamed for the Philippines’ deadliest terror attacks, including the 2004 bombing of a ferry in Manila that claimed 116 lives.

In mid-2014 Hapilon, an engineering graduate from the University of the Philippines, showed up in a YouTube video as one of the first Islamist militant leaders in the Philippines to pledge allegiance to IS.

Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict director Sidney Jones, an expert on Asian jihadist movements, said Hapilon was endorsed by the IS as its “amir,” or top leader for Southeast Asia.

Muslim rebels have been fighting since the 1970s for an independent or autonomous homeland in Mindanao, with the conflict claiming more than 120,000 lives.

The main Muslim rebel groups are now involved in peace talks with the government.

But the Abu Sayyaf, Maute and other hardline groups want to set up an Islamic caliphate in the south for IS, according to security analysts.

Lorenzana said IS leaders in the Middle East had ordered Hapilon to move off his tiny island base of Basilan and into more populated areas of the southern Philippines near Marawi “to increase the mass base” of IS.

Hapilon’s escape on Tuesday has had broader implications than IS’s prospects in the Philippines, with Duterte citing the ensuing violence as justification to declare martial law over Mindanao and threaten military rule for the rest of the country.

1.  

 

[Stealth007]

Marawi - The Last 48 Hours

Seizing of Marawi by Islamist militants a wake-up call for SEA

MARAWI CITY, Philippines - At the beginning of the battle that has raged for the past 12 days in Marawi City at the southern end of the Philippines, dozens of Islamist militants stormed its prison, overwhelming the guards.

"They said 'surrender the Christians'," said Faridah P. Ali, an assistant director of the regional prison authority. "We only had one Christian staff member so we put him with the inmates so he wouldn't be noticed,” he said.

Fighters from the Maute group, which has pledged allegiance to Islamic State (IS), menaced the guards and shouted at prisoners: but no one gave up the Christian man. "When they freed the inmates, he got free," said Ali.

It was a brief moment of cheer, but over the next few hours the militants took control of most of the city, attacked the police station and stole weapons and ammunition, and set up roadblocks and positioned snipers on buildings at key approaches. The assault has already led to the death of almost 180 people and the vast majority of Marawi's population of about 200,000 has fled.

The seizing of the city by Maute and its allies on the island of Mindanao is the biggest warning yet that the Islamic State is building a base in Southeast Asia and bringing the brutal tactics seen in Iraq and Syria in recent years to the region.

Defense and other government officials from within the region told Reuters evidence is mounting that this was a sophisticated plot to bring forces from different groups who support the Islamic State together to take control of Marawi.

The presence of foreigners - intelligence sources say the fighters have included militants from as far away as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Chechnya and Morocco - alongside locals in Marawi, has particularly alarmed security officials.

For some time, governments in Southeast Asia have been worried about what happens when battle-hardened Islamic State fighters from their countries return home as the group loses ground in the Middle East, and now they have added concerns about the region becoming a magnet for foreign jihadis.

"If we do nothing, they get a foothold in this region," said Hishammuddin Hussein, the defense minister of neighboring Malaysia.

Defense and military officials in the Philippines said that all four of the country’s pro-Islamic State groups sent fighters to Marawi with the intention of establishing the city as a Southeast Asian ‘wilayat’ – or governorate - for the radical group.

Mindanao - roiled for decades by Islamic separatists, communist rebels, and warlords – was fertile ground for Islamic State's ideology to take root. This is the one region in this largely Catholic country to have a significant Muslim minority and Marawi itself is predominantly Muslim.

It is difficult for governments to prevent militants from getting to Mindanao from countries like Malaysia and Indonesia through waters that have often been lawless and plagued by pirates.

The Combating Terrorism Center, a West Point, New York-based think tank, said in a report this week that Islamic State is leveraging militant groups in Southeast Asia to solidify and expand its presence in the region. The key will be how well it manages relations with the region’s jihadi old guard, CTC said.

Commander fired

The Maute group's attack is the biggest challenge faced by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte since coming to power last June. He has declared martial law in Mindanao, which is his political base.

His defense forces were caught off guard by the assault and have had difficulty in regaining control of the city - on Saturday they were still struggling to wipe out pockets of resistance.

On Monday, Brigadier-General Nixon Fortes, the commander of the army brigade in Marawi, was sacked.

An army spokesman said this was unrelated to the battle. But a military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters on Friday that Fortes was dismissed because not all his forces were in the city when the rebels began their rampage, even though military intelligence had indicated that Islamist militants were amassing there.

The assault came just months after security forces attacked the mountain lair of Isnilon Hapilon, a long-time leader of Abu Sayyaf, or "Father of the Sword", a notorious Islamist militant group known for kidnapping. He swore allegiance to Islamic State in 2014, and quickly got other groups to join him. Most important among them was the Maute group, run by brothers Omar and Abdullah Maute from a well-known family in Marawi. In a video that surfaced last June, a Syria-based leader of the group urged followers in the region to join Hapilon if they could not travel to the Middle East. Hapilon was named IS leader in Southeast Asia last year. The Philippines military said Hapilon was likely wounded in the raids but managed to escape to Marawi, where he joined up with the Maute group. According to a statement on a social media group used by Maute fighters, the group wants to cleanse Marawi of Christians, Shi’ite Muslims, and polytheists – who believe in more than one God. It also wants to ban betting, karaoke and so-called “relationship dating.”

Mountain lairs

Some officials said Philippines security forces became complacent about the threat from IS after the January raids.

"We did not notice they have slipped into Marawi because we are focusing on their mountain lairs," Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told reporters.

Over the past few months, Philippine and Indonesian intelligence sources said, Hapilon's forces were swelled by foreign fighters and new recruits within Marawi. Many of the outsiders came to Marawi using the cover of an Islamic prayer festival in the city last month, said Philippines military spokesman Lt. Col. Jo-Ar Herrera.

Lorenzana said that Hapilon brought 50-100 fighters to join Maute's 250-300 men, while two other groups, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the Ansar Al-Khilafah Philippines, together brought at least 40 militants with them.

On May 23, four days before the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, they launched their attack when Philippine forces made an abortive attempt to capture Hapilon inside Marawi.

After the military retreated in the face of a phalanx of armed guards, about 400 militants quickly fanned out across the city, riding trucks mounted with 50-caliber machine guns and armed with rocket-propelled grenades and high-powered rifles.

Within hours, they attacked the jail and nearby police station, seizing weapons and ammunition, according to accounts from residents.

The Dansalan College, a Protestant institution, and the Catholic Cathedral of Maria Auxiliadora, were both razed, and a priest and about a dozen other parishioners captured. They remain hostages.

A Shi'ite mosque was also destroyed, and a statue of Jose Rizal, the Philippines hero of the uprising against Spanish rule, was beheaded.

Snipers on rooftops

Herrera said the attack had the hallmarks of a professional military operation. "There was a huge, grand plan to seize the whole of Marawi," he said. After the initial battle, IS flags flew across the city and masked fighters roamed the streets proclaiming Marawi was theirs, using loud-hailers to urge residents to join them and handing out weapons to those who took up the offer, according to residents. The military brought in helicopters to fire rockets at militant positions as ground troops began to retake key bridges and buildings, though some residents this has also led to the deaths of civilians.

"ISIS people were running on the street, running away from them. They were bombing

them in the street (but) it hit our house and the mosque. Many other houses too," said Amerah Dagalangit, a pregnant 29-year-old in an evacuation center near Marawi.

"Many people died when the bomb exploded," she said, adding that a Muslim priest and children were among the victims.

Military officials said they had not received any report of the incident. Reuters could not independently verify the account.

The military has said 20 civilians have been killed in the fighting and that all were at the hands of the militants. It also says 120 rebels and 38 members of the security forces have been killed, including 10 soldiers who died from friendly fire in an airstrike.

‘People will get killed’

Officials in neighboring Indonesia worry that even if the Filipinos successfully take back Marawi in coming days, the threat will still remain high.

“We worry they will come over here,” said one Indonesian counter-terrorism official, noting that Mindanao wasn’t very far from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

More than 2,000 people remain trapped in the center of Marawi, with no electricity and little food and water. Some are pinned down by the crossfire between the military and the militants, while others fear they will be intercepted by the militants as they flee, according to residents.

The bodies of eight laborers who had been shot in the head were found in a ravine outside Marawi last Sunday. The police said they had been stopped by the militants while escaping the city.

There will most likely be more civilian casualties in retaking the city, the military said.

"We are expecting that people will get starved, people will get hurt, people will get killed,"

said Herrera, the military spokesman. "In these types of operations, you can't get 100 per cent no collateral damage

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/613170/police-already-identified-gunman-of-resorts-world-attack/story/?utm_source=GMANews&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_campaign=news

 

 

[Stealth007]

Marawi - The Last 48 Hours

AFP chief: IS funded Marawi siege through Malaysian      

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Eduardo Año said Malaysian Mahmud bin Ahmad reportedly channeled more than $600,000 from the IS to acquire firearms, food and other supplies for the attack in Marawi. Money believed to be from illegal drugs also funded the uprising, he said. Mahmud was wounded in the fighting last month and reportedly died on June 7, he said. But when asked by AFP for confirmation of Mahmud’s reported death, Malaysia’s Inspector General Police Abu Bakar said: “Not true. He is still alive.” A local militant leader, Omarkhayam Maute, is also believed to have been killed in the early days of intense fighting and troops were looking for their remains to validate the intelligence the military had received. Troops are seeking the help of villagers to pinpoint the spot where Mahmud was reportedly buried, Año said.

 In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian police chief Khalid Abu Bakar acknowledged that Mahmud was in Marawi fighting with insurgents but said he believed the militant is still alive. Malaysian authorities are trying to determine the number of Malaysians who joined the siege but said at least four may have been killed in clashes. Two other rebel leaders, Isnilon Hapilon and Maute’s brother Abdullah, both Filipinos, were still fighting in Marawi, Año said. A former Malaysian university professor who became radicalized and received training in Afghanistan, Mahmud appeared in a video

showing militant leaders planning the Marawi siege in a hideout, a sign of his key role in the uprising. A copy of the video was seized by troops on May 23. A month ago, about 500 local militants, along with some foreign fighters, stormed into Marawi, a bastion of the Islamic faith in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation. Troops since then have killed about 280 gunmen, recovered nearly 300 assault firearms and regained control of 85 buildings. Many of the taller buildings were used as sniper posts to slow down the advance of government forces, the military said. At least 69 soldiers and police and 26 civilians have died in the fighting. Only four villages in Marawi remain in the hands of the militants, out of the 19 of 96 villages across the lakeside city of 200,000 people that the black flag-waving militants had occupied. “They are constricted in a very small area. They’re pinned down,” Año said. He said three boatloads of gunmen who tried to join the militants were blasted by navy gunboats three days ago in Lake Lanao, which borders Marawi. Año said the battle was taking longer because the militants were using civilians as human shields. “We can just bomb them away or use napalm bombs to burn everything, but then, we will not be any different from them if we do that,” he said. The audacious attack by the heavily armed militants and their ability to hold on to large sections of a city for weeks surprised the government and sparked fears among Southeast Asian countries that the IS group was moving to gain a foothold in the region. Australian help Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne said the Philippines accepted an offer of two AP-3C Orion aircraft to provide surveillance to local troops. The US military earlier deployed a spy plane and drones over Marawi.

 http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/06/25/1713442/afp-chief-funded-marawi-siege-through-malaysian     

[LeCat]

Martial Law is still in effect until Dec 2018 in all of Mindinao and new militant groups are popping up monthly to blow up shit in Cotabato now. Some ISIS new 'emir' for the Philippines was just declared too from Malaysia and he's importing Malay fighters. Shit sandwich, entire Southern Philippines.

 

[TEXASMAC]

Have to love religion !