One of America’s most wanted terrorists may have escaped a five-week battle with Islamist militants in Marawi City, which began with a raid to capture him, the military said Saturday.

Isnilon Hapilon, a veteran Filipino militant said to be the leader of the Islamic State (IS) group in Southeast Asia, has not been seen in the battle zone in Marawi City, said Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez, head of the military’s Western Mindanao Command.

An attempt by government troops to arrest Hapilon in Marawi on May 23 triggered a rampage by Islamic State-linked Maute Group, backed by some foreign fighters, who seized parts of the mainly Muslim city.

President Duterte immediately declared martial law in Marawi and the entire Mindanao, unleashing an offensive to crush what he said was an attempt by the jihadist group to establish a province in the area.

“He (Hapilon) has not been seen in the area. We have some reports that he was already able to slip somewhere but as of now we are still confirming the reports,” Galvez said in an interview with DZBB radio station.

Asked if Hapilon was on the run, he said: “Yes, yes because reportedly he suffered a lot of casualties. Majority of his group, more than half, were casualties.”

$5-million bounty

Hapilon was indicted in Washington for his involvement in the 2001 kidnapping of three Americans in the Philippines, and has a $5-million bounty on his head from the US government, which has his name on its “most wanted” terror list.

He leads a faction of the Philippine militant group Abu Sayyaf that has pledged allegiance to IS.

Security analysts say he has been recognized by IS as its “amir,” or leader, in Southeast Asia, a region where the group wants to establish a caliphate.

The military says Hapilon’s group had joined forces with the Maute Group to launch the Marawi siege, now on its second month.

On Saturday, security forces continued intense air raids and artillery fire on pockets of Marawi still occupied by the militants, while troops fought house-to-house gunbattles on the ground.

“The operation is going on, the firefights are intense. We have gained substantial ground,” said Galvez, the military commander.

Nearly 300 militants and 67 government troops have been killed in the fighting, according to official figures.

Galvez said there are “strong indications” that two or three of the Maute brothers – among the key players in the siege – had been killed, including Omarkhayam Maute, believed to be the group’s top leader.

Only one brother, Abdullah, has been visible in the fighting, Galvez added.

Foreign fighters

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said in Manila the military is “validating an intelligence report” that Malaysian Mahmud bin Ahmad, who helped lead and finance the Marawi siege, died from wounds he had sustained in the early days of the fighting.

Abella said he would not officially confirm the death unless government troops recovered the remains.

“We have been told that the military has information of the spot where he was buried and government troops are now trying to locate it and recover the remains. Once done, only then can we make an official confirmation,” he said.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Eduardo Año told The Associated Press (AP) on Friday that Mahmud was wounded in the fighting in Marawi last month and reportedly died on June 7 of his wounds.

When asked about Mahmud’s reported death, Malaysia’s Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar told AFP in a text message in Kuala Lumpur: “Not true. He is still alive.”

Abella said authorities were also verifying another intelligence report that 89 foreign fighters are in Mindanao, entering the region through the Philippines’ porous maritime borders with Malaysia and Indonesia.

“This is the purpose why we are making a collective effort against terrorism and violent extremism through a trilateral cooperation with Indonesia and Malaysia,” Abella said.

The Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia have agreed to jointly develop and implement counter-terrorism measures and strategies to prevent future terrorist attacks in the region.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, during a phone conversation with President Duterte, has reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to help the Philippines fight terrorism in Mindanao.

According to Abella, both leaders felt the need to step up cooperation to address threats posed by terrorism and violent extremism.

“Both noted the importance of the trilateral meeting between Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines to strengthen cooperation on countering terrorism among regional neighboring states,” he said.

The Palace official also said that Widodo also vowed to help the Philippines in restoring peace in Mindanao, particularly in the war-torn Marawi City.

According to the Palace official, Duterte welcomed Widodo’s remarks and assured the Indonesian President that the Philippines will stay true to its commitment in working together to address terrorism.

On Friday, Galvez said troops recovered two decomposing corpses that bore features of people from the Middle East.

Eight other militants, including those from Chechnya, Indonesia and Malaysia, had been killed earlier in the fighting, defense chief Delfin Lorenzana has said.

Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines on June 19 launched joint patrols on their maritime borders to block the movement of the militants.

Australia said Friday it will send two high-tech spy planes to help Filipino troops fight the militants, joining the US which has also provided similar help.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by AFP and Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos

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