MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine military on Friday asked Facebook to close dozens of accounts linked to Islamist militants who attacked Marawi, saying they were being used for propaganda.
Military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herrera said the armed forces’ social media unit uncovered 63 Facebook accounts belonging to the jihadists and their supporters.
“These 63 accounts are spreading malicious information and misinformation that affect the information landscape and the mindset of every Filipino,” Herrera told a news conference in the southern city of Marawi.
The military has asked Facebook Philippines “to conduct necessary measures to take down these fake accounts,” Herrera said.
Militants waving the black Islamic State (IS) group flag rampaged through Marawi on May 23 and seized parts of the city.
They have so far fended off more than two weeks of air and ground assault by government forces.
President Rodrigo Duterte said the attack was part of a wider plot by IS to establish a base in the southern region of Mindanao, and declared martial law there to quell the threat.
Forty government troops and 138 militants, have been confirmed killed due to the fighting, according to Herrera.
Twenty civilians have also been confirmed killed.
IS jihadists have made extensive use of social media to strike fear and spread their ideology, and analysts have said many of their followers were radicalized by reading and listening to online propaganda material.
AFP made a request for comment with Facebook’s public relations company in Manila, which said the issue had been raised with the company. (Agence France Presse)