Philippines nabs militant

THE Philippines military has arrested one of the Maute brothers, a senior member of the Islamic State-backed militants it is fighting in a southern city.

Mohammad Noaim Maute was arrested at a checkpoint near the coastal city of Cagayan de Oro just after dawn yesterday, a military spokesman said.

Two of Mohammad’s brothers, Omarkhayam and Abdullah, lead the Maute gang that is at the forefront of a vicious battle with security forces for Marawi City, which is in its fourth week.