MANILA, Philippines — Authorities have identified 33 alleged extremists slain in clashes against government forces in Marawi and eight of them are foreigners: two Saudi brothers, a Chechen, a Yemeni, an Indian, two Malaysians and an Indonesian.
The other fatalities are mostly from Western Mindanao, although there is at least one from Luzon and a number from Eastern and Central Mindanao.
This is according to a list submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte by Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Datu Hj. Abul Khayr Alonto of what are described as “ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) members killed in action in Marawi City.”
“This is not a complete list but the list illustrates and confirms the heavy presence of foreign terrorists as well as local terrorist(s) who come from the different parts of the country that justifies your declaration of martial law on the basis of rebellion and invasion,” a note from Alonto to Duterte, who he addresses as “Brother President,” said.
Although invasion was not cited as a justification for Duterte’s placing the whole of Mindanao under martial law through Proclamation 216, it has since been invoked, starting from when Solicitor General Calida told a press conference in Davao City on May 26 that the Marawi crisis was “no longer a rebellion of Filipino citizens” but “has transmogrified into an invasion by foreign terrorists who heeded the clarion call of the ISIS to go to the Philippines if they find difficulty in going to Iraq or Syria.”
There was also confusion about whether the Maute group has been granted recognition by the Islamic State, to which the local extremists have sworn allegiance, although early in the crisis, reports of foreigners began surfacing and have since been bolstered by account of people who have fled Marawi.
Alonto reported to Duterte that “prayers for the dead were called by the ISIS international” who, he added, have also confirmed the nationalities of the slain foreigners “through our network of friends.”
The government’s latest tally placed the death toll from a week of fighting in Marawi at 65 extremists –42 confirmed through body count and 23 through eyewitness accounts — 17 soldiers and three policemen, and 19 civilians.
Here are the names in the list submitted by Alonto:
Local:
- Wadud Idarus – Tuburan
- Ustadz Abu bakar – Digos
- USTAD Omar Caluang – Jolo
- USTAD Abu Sakilan – Bongao
- ABU Darda – Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte
- ABU khalid – Sibuco
- USTAD Ismail Upao – Lamitan
- ABU Jair Muallamin – TIpo-tipo Basilan
- USTAD Aldam Gaddong – Basilan
- USTAD Bashir Akilan – Zamboanga
- ABU Layr Puyoh – Sumisip
- ABU Kasim Ismael – Amaloy Basilan
- USTAD Hashim Camlian – Basilan
- AL Hafiz Omar Malek – Marawi
- Al Hafis Saidon Bai – Iligan
- USTAD Ali Gapal – Lamitan
- USTAD Saleem Tinguan
- Al Hafis Omar Jamali – Zamboanga del Norte
- Amir Alih Asdaun – Lamitan
- Amir Sab Muhammad – Luzon
- Abu Abdel Maute – Lanao
- ABU Hasan Salamat – Lanao
- ABU Ali Salapudin – Tuburan, Basilan
- ABU FAIK Salapudin – Tuburan, Basilan
- ABU Daruz – Pagadian
International:
- Sheik Ahmad Belfakhi – Saudi Arabia
- Sheik Ulama Abdel Mubin Belfaqi – Saudi (brother of Sheik Ahmad Belfakhi)
- Sheik Ayman Marjuki – Indonesia
- USTAD ABDURAHMAN Bin Ansawi – Kelantan, Malaysia
- Sheik Dr. Khamsa Bin Yahya – Kedah, Malaysia
- Sheik Aneertob Ibrahinov – Chechnya
- Sheik Khaleed Ayman – Yemen
Sheik Muchtar Omar – India
