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Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines launch joint air patrols

KUALA LUMPUR — Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines began coordinated air patrols on Thursday (Oct 12) to intensify their fight against Islamic militants who have laid siege to a southern Philippine city.

Malaysian special forces demonstrate their skills in fighting terrorists from helicopters after Malaysia, Indonesia and The Philippines launch air patrols to intensify their fight against Islamic militants. Photo: AP

Malaysian special forces demonstrate their skills in fighting terrorists from helicopters after Malaysia, Indonesia and The Philippines launch air patrols to intensify their fight against Islamic militants. Photo: AP

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KUALA LUMPUR — Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines began coordinated air patrols on Thursday (Oct 12) to intensify their fight against Islamic militants who have laid siege to a southern Philippine city.

The start of the air patrols comes four months after the three countries launched joint maritime patrols to prevent Islamic State (IS) group-aligned militants in the southern Philippines from fleeing to neighboring nations.

The siege in the Philippine city of Marawi has raised fears that IS’violent ideology is gaining a foothold in the country’s restive south, where Muslim separatists have fought for greater autonomy for decades.

Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said Thursday the conflict shows that terrorist organisations affiliated with IS have exploited the region’s porous borders and linked up with local terrorist groups.

He said the air and maritime patrols are aimed at “deterring the use of these back channels and counter the movement of violent extremists and terrorists across the borders of our three nations.” It is especially important to secure the sea lanes because about US$40 billion (S$54.17 billion) worth of trade transits through the Sulu Seas each year, he said.

Mr Hishammuddin said the three countries will take turns each month patrolling the seas with aircrews from all three countries on board.A ceremony at a Malaysian air base launching the air patrols was attended by the Philippine and Indonesian defence ministers, along with security officials from Singapore and Brunei who acted as observers.Authorities in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, have carried out a sustained crackdown on militants since bombings on Bali in 2002 by Al Qaeda-affiliated radicals that killed 202 people. In recent years, it has faced a new threat as the rise of IS in the Middle East has breathed new life into local militant networks and raised concerns about the risk of Indonesian fighters returning home from fighting with the terror group.Predominantly Muslim Malaysia has also detained more than 300 people in the past three years believed to be linked to IS. AP

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