'ISIS Philippines spokesman is now the group's emir'

Insiders refer to Abu Abdullah al-Ansari as Emir of Philippines, says terrorism monitor.

Islamic State terrorists in the southern Philippines with their leader, Isnilon Hapilon (front row, second from right), who was killed by Army troops in the 2017 Marawi siege. (File pic)

SABAH (Malaysia): The rank of a spokesman for the Islamic State (IS) terror group in the Philippines has been elevated to that of emir or leader, said a terrorism monitor.

An analyst at the the US-based Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium (TRAC) said the so-called Islamic State East Asia (ISEA) wilayat or province recently circulated three statements from Sheikh Abu Abdullah al-Ansari and all three focused on the Feb. 18, 2024 ambush by a local pro-IS terror group, the Maute Group, that killed six Army troops, in Munai, Lanao del Norte province, in Mindanao. 

TRAC’s senior analyst Muskan Sangwan told SEA MILITANCY that it is interesting to note that these three statements were released by three different media houses.