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Philippines denies report of IS militants

Xinhua, January 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Armed Forces of Philippines downplayed on Tuesday an assessment made by a Singapore-based analyst that the Islamic State (IS or ISIS) may soon establish a "wilayat" or province in Mindanao, the Southern Philippines.

AFP spokesman Col. Restituto Padilla reiterated that the military has not gathered information to prove a verified connection of IS with the local terrorist groups, including the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).

Earlier, analyst Rohan Gunaratna said the "ISIS-initiated merger of the fighting formations and unification of the leaders present an unprecedented challenge to the Manila government."

Gunaratna, author of Inside al-Qaeda and head of the International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore, said the next likely step of IS in the Philippines "is the proclamation of wilayat Mindanao."

A new video was circulated in a jihadi forum on Jan. 4, showing Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon and Ansar al-Khilafa leader Abu Sharifa, marching with other extremist leaders and pledging allegiance with IS.

"To date, there is no credible, verified and direct link established and the possibility of establishing of a satellite is unlikely. There remains no credible, and direct connection to the bigger group in the Middle East up to this time," said Padilla.

Padilla said the video circulated was not actually that new, noting that some of the personalities shown were killed during a military offensive against the Abu Sayyaf in Al Barka town in Basilan last December. Endit