Armed men linked to Muslim rebels free more than 150 from Philippine prison

150 prisoners, some of them with ties to islamic militants, escaped after an attack in a prison in southern Philippines. During the attack one prison guard lost his life. The attackers were probably members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, one of the islamic militant groups that plague Philippines in the ongoing Moro Conflict.  -Vasilis Chronopoulos  […]

Abu Sayyaf Group beheads Canadian Hostage; Filipino government bids time for elections

The Islamist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), hidden in jungle redoubts on southern Filipino islands in Sulu, beheaded John Ridsdel, a Canadian hostage yesterday.  “Ridsdel’s head, which was placed in a plastic bag, was dumped by motorcycle-riding militants Monday night in Jolo town in impoverished Sulu, about 950 kilometres south of Manila,” CBC News reported. ASG […]

U.S. SOF-trained Filipino Special Action Force Kills Jemaah Islamiyah Leader

In the dead of night, close to 400 Filipino police commandos comprising the country’s Special Action Force (SAF) moved into position. Their target: Malaysian national Zulkifli bin Hir, aka “Marwan.” A hardcore member of Indonesia’s Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), Marwan was believed killed in 2012 by what was most likely a drone strike coordinated with U.S. forces. After the strike, […]