Seizing of Philippines city by Islamist militants a wake

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

A view of the Maute group stronghold with an ISIS flag canadian goose jacket in Marawi City in southern Philippines May 29, 2017. REUTERS/Erik De Castro

said the Christians said Canada Goose Jackets Faridah P. only had one Christian staff member so we put him with the inmates so he wouldn 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. they freed the inmates, canada goose black friday sale he canada goose outlet store locations got free, said Ali.

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

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 Canada Goose sale some Canada Goose Outlet time, governments in Southeast Asia have been worried about what happens when cheap Canada Goose battle hardened Islamic State https://www.expeditionparkaoutlets.ca 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.

we do nothing, they get a foothold in this region, said Hishammuddin Hussein, the defence minister of neighbouring Malaysia.

Defence and military officials in the Philippines said that all four of the canada goose replica country pro Islamic State groups sent fighters to Marawi with the intention of establishing the city as a Southeast Asian or governorate for the radical group.

Mindanao roiled for decades by Islamic separatists, communist rebels, and warlords was fertile ground for Islamic State 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 canada goose clearance 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 canada goose coats Asia to solidify and expand its presence in the region. The key will be how well it manages relations with the region jihadi old guard, CTC said.

COMMANDER FIRED The Maute group 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 defence forces were caught canada goose coats on sale off guard by the assault and have had difficulty in regaining control of the canada goose store city on Saturday they were still struggling to wipe out pockets of resistance.

On Monday, Brigadier 2018 canada goose outlet 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 website 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 buy canada goose jacket Hapilon, a long time leader of Abu Sayyaf, or 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 buy canada goose jacket cheap cleanse Marawi of Christians, Shi Muslims, and polytheists who believe in more than one God. It also wants to ban betting, karaoke and so called dating.

FILE PHOTO: Soldiers stand guard along the main street of Mapandi village as government troops continue their assault on insurgents from the Maute group, who have taken over large parts of Marawi City, Philippines June Canada Goose Coats On Sale 2, 2017. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco

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

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

Over the past few months, Philippine and Indonesian intelligence sources said, Hapilon 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 250 300 men, while two other groups, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the Ansar Al Khilafah Philippines,together brought Canada Goose Online at least 40 militants with them.