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Philippine troops hunt Malaysian militant even as Duterte declares Marawi’s liberation

MARAWI — Philippine troops were on Tuesday (Oct 17) hunting down a Malaysian militant tipped to take over as the head of the Islamic State group in Southeast Asia, after the killing of the organisation's former leader.

Mahmud Ahmad is the top remaining target for Philippine forces involved in the battle to end the nearly five-month siege of Marawi that has claimed more than 1,000 lives. Photo: THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT

Mahmud Ahmad is the top remaining target for Philippine forces involved in the battle to end the nearly five-month siege of Marawi that has claimed more than 1,000 lives. Photo: THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT

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MARAWI — Philippine troops were on Tuesday (Oct 17) hunting down a Malaysian militant tipped to take over as the head of the Islamic State group in Southeast Asia, after the killing of the organisation's former leader.

Mahmud Ahmad is the top remaining target for Philippine forces involved in the battle to end the nearly five-month siege of Marawi that has claimed more than 1,000 lives and displaced 400,000 people.

Just hours after the military said it was continuing the hunt for Mahmud, President Rodrigo Duterte declared Marawi "liberated from terrorists".

He made the declaration in a rain-soaked speech to troops in Marawi, where they have been fighting the militants in clashes that have left the city in ruins.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I hereby declare Marawi liberated from the terrorists."

The military claimed a major breakthrough on Monday when it announced the death of Isnilon Hapilon, said by Mr Duterte and security analysts to be a key figure in the IS push to establish a Southeast Asian caliphate as they suffer battlefield defeats in Iraq and Syria.

"Mahmud remains... one of our high-value targets in the operations being conducted," military spokesman Major-General Restituto Padilla said today.

Mr Padilla said Mahmud was among 20 to 30 militants, including up to eight foreign fighters, remaining in Marawi.

They are still holding about 20 hostages.

Terrorism expert Mr Ahmad Kumar Ramakrishna, from Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said if Mahmud survived, he would likely take over the leadership of IS-linked fighters in southern Philippines.

The militant is also reported to be a university lecturer in his home country who was in charge of raising finances from abroad for the jihadists and recruitment.

Pro-IS gunmen occupied parts of Marawi, the Islamic capital of the mainly Catholic Philippines, on May 23, following a foiled attempt by security forces to arrest Isnilon, authorities said.

The military yesterday said Isnilon, who figured on the US "most wanted terrorists" list, was killed in a dawn offensive alongside Omarkhayam Maute, one of two brothers who allied with Isnilon to plot the takeover of the city.

Since then, more than 1,000 people have been killed and 400,000 residents displaced as insurgent were hit with a relentless US-backed bombing campaign and intense ground battles with troops.

On Tuesday, the military said it had raised the alert level in a part of southern Philippines as it warned against retaliatory attacks from sympathisers of the militants.

The directive included tightening border security to prevent militants from moving around the archipelago. AFP

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