Armed stragglers supporting Daesh and hiding out among the ruins of a Philippine city after the end of a five-month battle still pose a threat to returning civilians, the military said on Friday.
The admission came after authorities arrested an armed Indonesian militant this week and killed three other gunmen in the bombed-out southern city of Marawi. “The main battle area, where most of the very heavy fighting occurred in the last few weeks prior to the liberation and the cessation of combat operation still harbors a number of stragglers,” military spokesman Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla said.
“These so-called stragglers continue to pose a huge threat to our people in Marawi as has been proven by the events of the past few days,” Padilla told reporters in Manila. Hundreds of local and foreign gunmen who had pledged allegiance to Daesh rampaged through Marawi on May 23.
An ensuing US-backed military campaign claimed the lives of more than 1,100 people including around 900 militants, displaced 400,000 residents and reduced large parts of the city to rubble.
Padilla said the authorities were trying to confirm information provided by the captured suspect that more than 30 militants continue to hide out in building basements and tunnels.
Militant leader’s widow
A Filipino militant leader’s widow, who has been arrested for allegedly calling on fighters to join a pro-Daesh group siege in southern Marawi city, also faces allegations that she recruited Indian men to fight in Syria and Iraq, Philippine officials said Friday.
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) investigator Joshua Raymundo said India has asked the Philippines to help investigate Karen Aizha Hamidon, who allegedly worked to encourage several Indian militants last year to join Daesh in the Middle East. Hamidon denied the allegation.
“They have detained several individuals who were recruited by Karen to join Daesh in Iraq and Syria," Raymundo told reporters in Manila, adding that the arrested Indian militants identified Hamidon as their recruiter. Filipino authorities arrested Hamidon last month on suspicion of recruiting Muslims to join a deadly siege in Marawi. She faces as many counts of inciting to rebellion, they said.
Hamidon denied terrorism allegations against her. “I’m just a blogger. I am into journalistic articles, composition... and social media usage but no more, no more than that,” she told reporters after she appeared before a prosecutor at the Department of Justice.

Source:Arabnews