CLARK, Pampanga: Now that the Islamic State-linked Maute group in Marawi City has been “wiped out,” Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Tuesday that the military would now focus on other terrorist groups based in other parts of Mindanao. Lorenzana’s declaration came a day after he announced that all combat operations in Marawi City had been terminated. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will be focusing on the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Central Mindanao and the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu. However, Lorenzana said that the younger ones in the Maute group may “follow the footsteps” of their elder siblings Abdullah, Ottoh, Maddie and Omarkhayam. President Rodrigo Duterte declared Marawi City liberated from the hands of the terrorists on October 17.

Source: Manila Times October 24, 2017 11:15 UTC