Riau Islands guard against militants from Marawi

Soldiers aboard their vehicles in a street in Marawi, in southern island of Mindanao on June 10, 2017. PHOTO: AFP

JAKARTA • The Riau Islands police have said they are beefing up security at ports and other sea entry points to prevent incursions by militants - including those from Indonesia - who are being flushed out from Marawi in the Philippines.

This followed the Indonesian military's move last week to increase its troops and surveillance operations in areas bordering the southern Philippines, such as Kalimantan, North Maluku and Sulawesi.

Members of an Indonesian terror group were found among combatants of the Philippines' Maute group fighting in Marawi City. This has underlined how the southern Philippines holds appeal for extremists in the region loyal to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

That the Indonesian group, Jemaah Ansharut Daulah, sent no fewer than 40 fighters to Mindanao, despite its own struggle at home, shows that it too believes victory over Philippine security forces will further its broader mission in South-east Asia, said analysts.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 12, 2017, with the headline Riau Islands guard against militants from Marawi. Subscribe