Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia launch joint air security patrols
Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines have begun coordinated air patrols to intensify their fight against Islamic militants who have laid siege to Marawi City.
The start of the air patrols comes four months after the three countries launched joint maritime patrols to prevent Islamic State group-aligned militants in the southern Philippines from fleeing to neighboring nations.
The siege in Marawi has raised fears that the Islamic State group’s violent ideology is gaining a foothold in the country’s restive south, where Muslim separatists have fought for greater autonomy for decades.
Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said Thursday the conflict shows that terrorist organizations affiliated with the Islamic State group have exploited the region’s porous borders and linked up with local terrorist groups.
Earlier, the three countries also launched joint naval patrols.
Indonesia’s military chief Gatot Nurmantyo said the patrols were timely as his country tries to stop any militants from Marawi escaping to Indonesia while posing as refugees.
The three neighbors agreed in May 2016 to conduct the joint patrols and share intelligence, after a series of kidnaps of foreigners by the Abu Sayyaf, an Islamist group based mainly in Sulu, Mindanao who beheaded several victims after ransoms were not paid.