Indonesia beefs up border security as IS occupies Philippines town

By APD Writer Maverick

**JAKARTA, May 29 (APD) – **Indonesia is beefing up the security in its border with the Philippines to prevent bad impacts from the ongoing arm conflict between Islamic State (IS)-affiliated terrorist groups occupying Southern Philippines city of Marawi with the neighboring country’s military.

Besides increasing its border security, Indonesian government also expressed its supports for the military campaigns conducted by the Philippines government against the terrorist group, which is believed of attempting to build IS stronghold in Southern Philippines.

Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto said on Sunday that the move to increase the security was essential to assure no infiltration is made by the warring militant group into Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province, which only 5 hours away by boat from the conflict-laden area.

“So we will intensify our patrol in the bordering waters,” Wiranto said, adding that the intensified patrols would involve Indonesian police as well as the navy.

Indonesia’s patrols would also be coordinated with the Philippines counterparts as the two neighboring countries have established joint patrol commitments, the senior minister said.

National Police Headquarters Spokesperson Setyo Wasisto said that related institutions in Indonesia are now seeking further information following reports on 1 Indonesian casualty in Marawi arm conflict.

Setyo said that 11 Indonesian nationals were documented of travelling to the Philippines’ Muslim-predominantly city in Mindanao Island through proper procedure prior to the conflict that erupted on May 23.

“According to preliminary information they came there to deliver religious sermons, not involved in any radical groups there,” he said.

He added that efforts to return all of those nationals back to the country are underway at present, jointly carried out by police, Indonesian representative office in Davao and the Philippines authorities.

The Philippines government has imposed martial law in the entire southernmost island to quell the militant group occupying the Muslim-predominantly city of Marawi.

In less than a week at least 103 people were killed in the arm conflicts. The black IS flag had also been hoisted by the militants in the city, reports said.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)