'IS attacks positions of pro-Filipino govt ex-rebel group MILF'
IS says the attack occurred on May 13 in Maguindanao del Sur province.
MAGUINDANAO DEL SUR: The Islamic State (IS) terror group has claimed an attack on positions of a Filipino pro-government former rebel group in the southern Philippines, according to a terrorism monitor.
US-based Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium (TRAC) CEO and president Veryan Khan told SEA MILITANCY that IS’s official media arm al-Naba had claimed: “On 13 May 2023, ISEA militants targetted positions of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) with machine guns in Talayan Village in Maguindanao (del Sur province), the Philippines.
“The armed assault forced the militia members to escape and allowed the ISEA militants to raze the positions and seize an RPG launcher.”
ISEA refers to Islamic State East Asia, the so-called Southeast Asia branch of IS, while RPG is the acronym for rocket-propelled grenade.
“It was further confirmed with an image in al-Naba,” said Khan, referring to the IS’s official media arm.
According to Khan, IS did not say which particular local terror group conducted the attack.
“My guess it’s Maute - IS Central doesn’t distinguish between any of the franchises in the Philippines,” she said, referring to the Maute Group, also known as Dawlah Islamiyah, a pro-IS group responsible for the 2017 Marawi City siege.
“I think all ISEA franchises have been quietly rebuilding and resupplying, based on the low level of claims lately. That said, all IS Wilayah (regions) have been low on claims since January 2023.
“We’ve been guessing at TRAC that IS Central has either moved where Nashir and Amaq report from and the franchises do not know where to contact them to report on their operations (we’ve had some unconfirmed reports that at least part of IS Central has relocated to Libya), or IS is intentionally laying low planning for larger attacks and don’t want to gain international attention.”
Khan was referring to another official IS news outlet, the Nashir News Agency, and an unofficial one, the Amaq News Agency.
The rebel group MILF, which signed a peace deal with the government in 2014, and Philippine authorities, have not announced the claimed attack.
SEA MILITANCY has reached out to the Philippine military’s Western Mindanao Command for comment.