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| Southeast Asia |
| Seized weapons in Marawi not from military |
| 2017-12-17 |
| [NEWS.MB.PH] None of the weapons seized from Marawi City and destroyed this week showed any sign that they came from military stocks, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero said Friday. "As for the (seized Maute Group) firearms inventoried so far, we are still to see any weapon (serial numbers) matching those in the inventory of the AFP," Guerrero said in Filipino when asked during a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City whether AFP weapons were found among the terrorists’ arms cache. More than 1,000 firearms of various calibers and types were seized by government forces in the battle to liberate Marawi City. The battle began when government troops tried to arrest Abu Sayyaf ...also known as al-Harakat al-Islamiyya, an Islamist terror group based in Jolo, Basilan and Zamboanga. Since its inception in the early 1990s, the group has carried out bombings, kidnappings, murders, head choppings, and extortion in their uniquely Islamic attempt to set up an independent Moslem province in the Philippines. Abu Sayyaf forces probably number less than 300 cadres. The group is closely allied with remnants of Indonesia's Jemaah Islamiya and has loose ties with MILF and MNLF who sometimes provide cannon fodder... leader and ISIS "emir" in Southeast Asia, IsnilonHapilon, last May 23. Fighting was declared after authorities confirmed the death of Hapilon and Maute Group co-founder, Omar Maute, last October 23. Some 652 weapons were taken to the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, to be destroyed ceremonially early this week. The remaining 400 are still being processed as of this posting. |
| Posted by:Fred |