US assisting Philippines in fight with ISIS

Reuters:
U.S. forces are providing the Philippines with technical assistance to end a siege of the southern town of Marawi by militants allied to Islamic State but it has no boots on the ground, the Philippines military said on Saturday.

The seizure of Marawi by hundreds of fighters who have sworn allegiance to Islamic State, including dozens from neighboring countries and the Middle East, has fueled concern that the ultra-radical group is gaining a foothold in Southeast Asia.

Earlier a U.S. embassy spokesperson in Manila told Reuters that, at the request of the Philippines government, special operations forces were helping liberate the town, part of which has been occupied by hundreds of militants since May 23.

In Marawi, military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jo-Ar Herrera confirmed the U.S. assistance, telling a news conference: "They are not fighting. They are just providing technical support."

A U.S. P3 Orion surveillance plane was seen flying over the town on Friday, according to local media reports.
...
The Duarte government has been leaning toward China recently but when it has a real problem the Chicoms are not there to help them fight off the ISIS Islamic religious bigots.  I suspect that ISIS hope to take advantage of the Philippines weaken relationship with the US to seize more territory as it is losing territory in the Middle East. Duarte's hostility toward the US was based mainly about the criticism of his dirty war with dope dealers.

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