CEDA reviews role of reforms in diversification of economy and surge in non-oil revenues    79 hospitality facilities in Makkah and Madinah face penalties for closure order violations    Saudi Arabia hosts large-scale iftar banquets in Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, and Malaysia    Saudi Arabia records 23,865 violations in nationwide residency and labor law inspections    S&P upgrades Saudi Arabia's credit rating to A+    Trump orders 'decisive' military action against Houthis in Yemen    US Senate passes Republican spending bill to avert government shutdown    Zelenskyy says territorial control key to peace talks, rejects recognition of occupied regions    Pakistan says train hijacking death toll rises to 30, accuses India and Afghanistan of supporting militants    Al Nassr climbs to third with dominant win over Al Khaleej, Al Qadsiah slips after loss to Damac    Power bank likely caused South Korea plane fire, investigators say    Makkah Lanterns Festival returns for the eighth year as part of Ramadan activities    Crown Prince receives Yazeed Al-Rajhi after historic Dakar Rally 2025 victory    SR17 million fines slapped on 16 individuals and companies convicted of violating Capital Market Law    Saleh Al-Shehri's late penalty rescues Al Ittihad against Al Riyadh    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Man lives for 100 days with titanium heart in successful new trial    Argentinian court begins trial of seven healthcare professionals over Maradona's death    Singer Wheesung who wooed Korea with his ballads, found dead at 43    Prince Frederik of Luxembourg dies from rare disease    Real-life shipwreck story wins major book award    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Philippines ramps up military offensive against Abu Sayyaf
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 31 - 08 - 2016

The Philippine military deployed thousands of extra troops on Tuesday to destroy an extremist group notorious for kidnapping foreigners, after 15 soldiers were killed, authorities said.
President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered his security forces to wipe out the Abu Sayyaf, which has declared allegiance to Daesh (the so-called IS) and recently beheaded two Canadian hostages.
But an assault that began last week on the heavily forested island of Jolo, one of the Abu Sayyaf's strongholds about 900 km south of Manila, has met fierce resistance.
Fifteen troops were killed and another 10 were injured in a single encounter with the Abu Sayyaf on Monday, regional military spokesman Major Filemon Tan said.
An additional 2,500 troops were on Tuesday deployed to Jolo and nearby islands, according to presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella.
"The president is focused on making sure that the threat from the Abu Sayyaf group should be terminated as soon as possible," Abella said in Manila.
Tan said the extra troops would join two brigades already involved in the fighting. He declined to give specific numbers, but there are at least 1,000 soldiers in a brigade.
Tan said the military would be able to achieve the goal set by Duterte, but conceded the rough terrain and possible assistance from local Muslim residents were working to the Abu Sayyaf's advantage.
Duterte, who has been in office for two months, initially called on the Abu Sayyaf to lay down their arms but quickly adopted a tougher stance when his overtures were rejected.
"Go out and destroy them. Kill whoever they are," Duterte said last week, in reference to the Abu Sayyaf.
The Abu Sayyaf is a loose network of a militants formed in the 1990s with seed money from Osama Bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network.
It is based in remote Muslim populated southern islands of the mainly Catholic Philippines, and has earned millions of dollars from kidnappings-for-ransom.
While its leaders have in recent years pledged allegiance to Daesh,
analysts say the group is mainly focused on a lucrative kidnapping business rather than religious ideology.
This year the militants beheaded two Canadians after their demands for millions of dollars in ransoms were rejected. The group is currently believed to be holding a Norwegian, a Dutchman and five Indonesian sailors, according to the military.
Tan said the military estimated it was fighting about 480 militants, but there could be more. He said the army had killed 30 militants, although this was impossible to verify.
Previous Philippine leaders made similar vows as Duterte to wipe out the Abu Sayyaf and failed, even with help from military ally the United States.


Clic here to read the story from its source.