UAE airstrikes raise tensions with Yemen gov't

DUBAI - The United Arab Emirates has confirmed it launched airstrikes on Yemen's interim capital Aden, after furious accusations from the internationally recognized government which has lost control of the city to UAE-backed separatists.

In the face of charges it targeted Yemeni government troops, Abu Dhabi said it acted in self-defense against "terrorist militias" threatening the Saudi-led military coalition against Huthi rebels in which the UAE is a key partner.

The UAE's foreign ministry issued a statement late Thursday, hours after the separatists regained control of Aden, forcing government troops who had entered the southern port city a day earlier to withdraw.

Airstrikes on Wednesday and Thursday that reportedly left dozens dead hit "armed groups affiliated with terrorist organizations", Abu Dhabi said, in a reference to Islamists it believes makeup part of Yemeni government forces.

The operation "was based on confirmed field intelligence that the militias prepared to target the coalition forces -- a development which required a preemptive operation to avert any military threat", it added.

The accusations risk straining an already complex conflict in Yemen, which is being fought on two main fronts -- a battle for control of Aden and the south, and the Saudi-led coalition's campaign against the Huthis in the north.

In further violence in the port city on Friday, a suicide bombing killed three separatist fighters, while a separatist military chief survived a roadside bomb that killed five of his guards, security sources said.

Blaming the attacks on Al-Qaeda, the security sources said separatist forces made several arrests, adding that they aimed to dismantle jihadist "sleeper cells".

But residents have reported arrests of soldiers loyal to the internationally recognized government. 

On August 1, separate attacks in Aden by jihadists and Huthi rebels killed 49 people, mostly separatist fighters from the Southern Transitional Council.

The STC accused the government of complicity in the attacks, sparking a showdown between the two sides.

The intensifying conflict between Abu Dhabi and the government undermines the coalition and poses a headache for regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia, which is focused on fighting the Huthis who are aligned with Riyadh's arch-foe Iran.

The airstrikes came in a see-sawing battle between the government and southern separatists who have tussled for control of Aden and the neighboring provinces Abyan and Shabwa over the past three weeks.

Saudis as peacemakers?

Yemen's government on Thursday accused the UAE of mounting the airstrikes in support of the separatists, in an assault it said killed 40 combatants and wounded 70 civilians. 

The UAE, which has a zero-tolerance policy towards Islamists, believes that part of Yemen's army is made up of militants from Al-Islah, a party considered close to the Islamic Brotherhood.

The allegation was backed by its Yemeni ally, the head of the STC, Aidarus al-Zubaidi, who aims to regain independence for South Yemen, which was forcibly unified with the north in 1990. 

At a press conference in Aden on Thursday, he said that among fighters captured during the retaking of the city were "internationally wanted terrorists".

However, Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi redoubled his allegations against the UAE, accusing it late Thursday of having planned, financed and coordinated attacks on state institutions and military positions in Aden.

The Yemeni head of state, who is in exile in the Saudi capital, called on Riyadh to "intervene to halt the blatant interference of the United Arab Emirates, in support of the militias, and air raids against the armed forces of Yemen".

The UAE's minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, on Friday urged all sides to go back to the negotiating table under a Saudi proposal for talks in Jeddah.

Yemen's government has said the STC must first withdraw from its positions.

"The Saudi initiative is the way out of this crisis," Gargash said on Twitter.

The coalition intervened in Yemen's war in 2015 in support of the government after the Huthis swept south from their northern stronghold to seize the capital Sanaa and much of Yemen -- the Arab world's poorest nation.

The strategic port city of Aden has since then served as the government's interim capital. 

Fighting over the past four years has already claimed tens of thousands of lives and sparked what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

"The situation is very fragile. Families are again trapped in their homes by fighting, unable to secure food and reach medical care," the UN humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, Lise Grande, said of the recent battle for the south.

The UN Security Council on Thursday voiced concern over the clashes, including what it called a "violent attempt to take over state institutions".

It urged all parties to "show restraint and to preserve Yemen's territorial integrity".

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Govt troops killed in Marawi rises to 62: military

The number of government troops killed in Marawi clashes has risen to 62, a military official said.

Joint Task Force Marawi Spokesperson Lt. Col. Jo-Ar Herrera, however, denied to give exact dates of when the soldiers were killed.

Herrera also did not give an exact figure of the number of wounded security troops, adding that some were not seriously wounded.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has so far been able to neutralize a total of 257 terrorists.

The military estimates that they are still facing from 100 to 120 Maute fighters and other Islamist rebels.


Herrera said the rebels were also taking advantage of available technology, including social media. Drones, he added, were also being used by the rebels to monitor troop movements.

With the arrest of suspected Maute members in other parts of the country, Herrera said there is a possibility that Maute members may be blending with civilians but said that mechanisms are in place in areas outside Marawi City to ensure the public's safety.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

U.S. forces give technical assistance as PH takes losses in Marawi

MARAWI CITY, Philippines - U.S. special forces have joined the battle to crush Islamist militants holed up in Marawi City, officials said on Saturday, as government forces struggled to make headway and 13 marines were killed in intense urban fighting.

The Philippines military said the United States was providing technical assistance to end the siege of Marawi by fighters allied to Islamic State, which is now in its third week, but it had no boots on the ground.

"They are not fighting. They are just providing technical support," military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jo-Ar Herrera told a news conference in Marawi City.

The Pentagon, which has no permanent presence in the Philippines but for years has kept 50 to 100 special forces troops in the south of the country on rotational exercises, confirmed it was helping the Philippine military in Marawi.

It said in a statement it was providing Philippine forces with security assistance and training in the areas of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. It said it had an additional 300 to 500 troops in the country to support regular training and activities, without giving further details.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a U.S. official said support included aerial surveillance and targeting, electronic eavesdropping, communications assistance and training. A U.S. P-3 Orion surveillance plane was seen flying over the town on Friday, according to media reports.


"There is no direct U.S. participation in combat, which is prohibited by Philippine law, although our forces involved in training the Philippine military are authorized to defend themselves," the U.S. official said.

The cooperation between the longtime allies is significant because Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who came to power a year ago, has taken a hostile stance towards Washington and has vowed to eject U.S. military trainers and advisers from his country.

The seizure of Marawi City on May 23 has alarmed Southeast Asian nations which fear that Islamic State - facing setbacks in Syria and Iraq - is establishing a stronghold on the Philippine island of Mindanao that could threaten the whole region.

About 40 foreigners have fought alongside the Philippine militants in Marawi City, most of them from Indonesia and Malaysia, though some came from the Middle East.

The Philippines military suffered its biggest one-day loss on Friday since 10 troops were killed in a friendly-fire incident on June 1. Herrera said 13 marines conducting clearing operations died after an "intense" house-to-house firefight during which they encountered improvised explosive devices and were attacked by rocket-propelled grenades.

The deaths took to 58 the number of security forces killed, with 20 civilians and more than a hundred rebel fighters also killed in the Marawi fighting.

REPORTS OF MAUTE BROTHERS KILLED

At least 200 militants are holed up in a corner of the town. An estimated 500 to 1,000 civilians are trapped there, some being held as human shields, while others are hiding in their homes with no access to running water, electricity or food.

The military said it was making headway in the town but was proceeding carefully so as not to destroy mosques where some of the militants had taken up positions.

"We give premium to the mosques, because this is very symbolic to our Muslim brothers," Herrera said.

The Philippines is majority Christian, but Mindanao has a significant population of Muslims and Marawi City is overwhelmingly Muslim.

One of the main Islamist factions dug in around the heart of the city is the Maute group, a relative newcomer amid the throng of insurgents, separatists and bandits on Mindanao.

Herrera said the military was "validating" reports that the two Maute brothers who founded the group had been killed.

"We are still awaiting confirmation," he said. "We are still validating those reports but there are strong indications."

Maute joined forces with Isnilon Hapilon, who was last year proclaimed by Islamic State as its Southeast Asia "emir." Military officials believe Hapilon is still in the town.

The military has said it is aiming to end the siege by Monday, the Philippines' independence day.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

MARAWI CRISIS: 8 terrorists surrender, give valuable info

MANILA – At least 8 terrorists who were among those who attacked Marawi City have surrendered to government troops, a military official confirmed, the first time since the clashes erupted more than a week ago.

Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Restituto Padilla said Brigadier General Custodio Parcon Jr. confirmed the surrender of the 8 terrorists.

“What we did get is from the unit of General (Custodio) Parcon, there were 8 members hold up in Marawi who surrendered to his forces,” Padilla said in a press briefing in Malacañang.

According to Padilla, the terrorists “have been talked to and debriefed and have provided very, very valuable intelligence.”

The death toll in the Marawi City crisis has risen to 129, with more terrorists killed as government forces pounded on the Southern city.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella, citing information from the Armed Forces, said the number of terrorists killed as of 8 p.m. of May 30 was at 89. Of these, 42 were confirmed through body count and 47 through eye witness accounts.

The number of civilian casualties remain at 19, although Padilla said there is an ongoing validation of reports of other civilian deaths.

The casualties on the government side, meanwhile, is now at 21.

Padilla also assured that no civilian died during the air strikes by the military, emphasizing that the military was only using force “commensurate” to the resistance it faces.

Padilla also issued another appeal for the remaining terrorists to surrender, saying they have no other choice if they want to live.

“They are trapped. They are contained. They are in areas that they will never come out alive unless they surrender. And that’s why we are asking them and we are appealing to these armed men to come to their senses, lay down their weapons and surrender,” Padilla said.

 “In this manner, we will be able to reduce the increasing cost of innocent lives as well as damage to property and at the same time further lessens the number of numerous crimes they have been committed,” he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte last week placed Mindanao under martial law after government troops clashed with the Maute group and its cohorts in Marawi City.

The clashes erupted as state forces were trying to arrest Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, considered one of the most wanted terrorists by the US. According to Padilla, Hapilon could still be in Marawi City.

Security experts say otherwise, saying that the government failed to detect terrorists' movement.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Military hopes to defeat terrorists in Marawi City in 3 days

MANILA – Government forces will step up efforts to repel terrorist groups from Marawi City and hope to prevail in three days, the military said Saturday.

This as government continued bomb runs to flush out members of the Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups, who have been engaged in clashes with government troops since Tuesday.

In a press briefing, Western Mindanao Command chief Major General Carlito Galvez Jr. said local government officials and government troops would do their part to gain peace in Marawi City.

“I assure the public that, with the help of our governor, and local government units, rest assured that the military will do their part…Mamadaliin po namin ang normalcy, [so that residents can] go back in time for Ramadan…Hopefully tingnan natin, within three days we can [clear the city],” he told reporters in a briefing in Marawi City.

Local officials said only about 10 percent of Marawi City’s more than 200,000 residents remained in the conflict-stricken area.

Most evacuated when the firefights began, and others fled when the Armed Forces initiated its strategic airstrikes.


Those who plan to remain in the city until the end of hostilities should stay away from engagement areas and lock down their houses, the government said.

Authorities are closely guarding the Marawi City Hall as it is "the locality's symbol of sovereignty," officials said.

At least 31 suspected terrorists have been killed in clashes since Tuesday, six of whom were believed to be fighters from Malaysia and Indonesia, Armed Forces spokesperson Restituto Padilla earlier said.

At least 11 soldiers and two police officers have meanwhile been killed. Government has yet to release a confirmed count on civilian deaths as of this posting, but nine hostages were known to have been slain by the Maute group on Tuesday. 

Their bodies were found in Marawi City on Saturday as the fighting entered the fifth day. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

How ticket mistake saved these Pinoys in Paris

FRANCE – Two Filipinos based in Paris are thankful that the rock concert tickets they bought online were for another date and not last Friday when terrorists carried out the bloody attack that killed at least 80 people.

Paris-based worker Harold Encina shared what seems to be a twist of fate that nearly cost his life and his Filipino friend, Chester Sampang.

Encina said they could have been included in the list of fatalities when suicide bombers stormed the Bataclan concert hall with massive gunfire before detonating their bomb belts.

Both Encina and Sampang were ready to watch a rock band concert Friday night, only to find out barely 48 hours before the event that they had the wrong date.

They bought the tickets online almost two months ago.

Had they not discovered the actual concert date, Encina believes they could have proceeded and watched that fateful day the concert of Eagles of Death Metal.

Encina has been an OFW in Paris for nearly 13 years. He is a member of a Filipino music band, playing bass guitar.

His friend Sampang is also a band mate.

Encina had watched many concerts at Bataclan and it could have been a first time for Sampang.

After the tragic incidents, Encina and many Filipinos in Paris are now taking precautionary measures and staying away from public places.

Encina joined the one minute prayer at the historic Plaza de Republique, known as the center for all forms of protest movements within France.

He also lighted a candle to honor the dead.

The solemn high noon prayer held simultaneously in other key cities all over the world manifested the solidarity among nations in the fight against terrorism. It culminated in a thunderous applause later.

Meanwhile, Philippine Ambassador to France Teresa Lazaro urged Filipinos to remain vigilant.

"Stay vigilant until the end of the month dahil nga dito sa Cup 21 where France is expecting 120 heads of state," she said.

At least 2,000 Filipinos are based in Paris.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com