Manila, Philippines. There obviously was a good reason for Philippine leader Duterte to cut his trip to Russia short as he has returned to a full blown insurection inside his country by Islamic terrorists.
Filipinos woke up to a full blown siege of a Philippine city that has led President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law in the south. Army dump trucks carrying several soldiers standing up in the back are rolling toward the center of the Philippine city that is under siege by Muslim terrorists.
Duterte spoke to reporters after returning early from a visit to Moscow as fighting raged in Marawi between government troops and Muslim militants who took about a dozen people hostage. He has earlier declared martial law in the southern Mindanao region, where Marawi is located.
Long lines of packed vehicles stretched for kilometers were observed streaming out of Marawi city Thursday morning. Fleeing residents were crammed inside or on top of vehicles, clutching their belongings to escape the terrorist attack.
Speaking to reporters after returning to Manila from a visit to Moscow, Duterte repeated that he will deal with militants “harshly” after declaring martial law in the southern Mindanao region, home to a decades long Muslim terrorist rebellion.
Major combat started when government troops attempted to raid the bunker of a terrorist commander. The gunmen have taken about a dozen local people hostage. President Rodrigo Duterte has declared martial law in the southern Mindanao region, where Marawi is located.
The Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte says he’ll consider martial law in other parts of the Philippines “in order to protect the people, if I think that ISIS has taken a foothold also in Luzon,” the main northern island, “and terrorism is not really far behind, I might declare martial law throughout the whole country.”
Duterte also announced that militants who stormed southern Marawi city beheaded the local police chief at a checkpoint they set up. Duterte says “we are in a state of emergency” and skirmishes with Muslim militants who attacked a southern city are continuing.