Islamic State spokesman praises jihadist attack in Marawi City in audio broadcast
Islamic militants in action, with high-powered firearms and ammunition, as well as with their hostages, were seen on a video posted on the internet by the Islamic State-affiliated Amaq News Agency showing what appeared to be IS-inspired Filipino extremists fighting Philippine government forces.
The video purports to show militants using high-powered firearms in Marawi City, as well as several civilians, which Amaq claims to be Christians, being captured. The hostages were seen wearing orange shirts and jogging pants.
In the video, the faces of the Islamist extremists fighting in Marawi were shown.
In one part of the video, the Islamist militants were seen to be using what appeared to be a children’s room, complete with a kiddie slide, as one of their hiding places.
The video was released on Monday, June 12, during the Philippines’ Independence Day.
On Tuesday, June 13, a spokesman for the Islamic State group praised the “jihadist attacks” in the Philippines and Iran, in an audio recording.
“Children of the caliphate in eastern Asia, we congratulate you for taking Marawi,” IS spokesman Aboulhassan al-Mouhajer said, referring to the Philippine city seized by Islamist militants last month.
Thousands of Philippine troops are battling hundreds of insurgents who overran the southern city on May 23, flying black IS flags and using up to 2,000 civilians as human shields.
Fierce fighting in the city has left a total of 58 soldiers and police and more than 20 civilians dead, according to the military which estimates that almost 200 jihadists have been killed.
(with reports from Reuters and Agence France Presse)