Philippines: Marawi liberated but root cause of extremism remains
World Watch Monitor Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte declared “Marawi City liberated from the terrorist influence” this week after the military killed two of the ring leaders behind the five-month assault on the city, but a religious freedom expert has warned the “killing of militant leaders does not destroy the fighters behind them”. Isnilon Hapilon, seen as the […]
Kidnapped Philippines priest pleads: ‘Please consider us!’
World Watch Monitor As the battle for the southern Philippines city of Marawi continues, a priest being held hostage by Islamist militants has appeared in a video, pleading for the President to “consider” hostages’ lives and stop bombing the city. A spokesman for the Philippines army dismissed the video, which was released on Tuesday and […]
Islamists besieging Marawi, southern Philippines, kill nine Christians at checkpoint
World Watch Monitor Nine Christian civilians were reportedly shot dead at a militant-run checkpoint in the besieged city of Marawi in the southern Philippines on Tuesday. Filipino news site GMA News Online – one of the biggest news and public affairs networks in the country – reported that local residents identified the nine as Christians, saying they […]