Ansar Khalifa Philippines

Ansar Khalifa Philippines, also referred to as Ansar al-Khilafah in the Philippines and Ansarul Khilafah Philippines ("Supporters of the Caliphate in the Philippines") is a Philippine-based militant group that emerged in August 2014 when it released a video pledging allegiance to ISIS.[1][6] The Armed Forces of the Philippines, however, characterizes the group as "bandits" engaging in cattle rustling and extortion activities.[7]

Ansar Khalifa Philippines
Also known asAnsar al-Khilafah in the Philippines[1]
Ansarul Khilafah Philippines[2]
Leader[2]
Mohammad Jaafar Maguid (also known as Abu Sharifah)  †[3]
Abdullah Nilong (POW)[4]
Dates of operation2014 (2014)–present
Split fromMoro Islamic Liberation Front
CountryPhilippines
Active regionsSarangani and South Cotabato
IdeologySalafi jihadism
Size6(2019)[5]
Flag

In 2019, Malaysia listed the group as terrorist organization. [8]

Background

Ansar Khalifa Philippines is allegedly based in the provinces of South Cotabato and Sarangani and was initially led by Abu Sharifah.[2] The group is considered to have the closest link to ISIS fighters in Syria among local terrorist groups in the Philippines.[9]

Mohammad Jaafar Maguid, identified by Philippine security officials as the leader of Ansar Khalifa Philippines, was killed in an operation conducted by the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency and the Philippine National Police on January 5, 2017, in Kiamba, Sarangani. Maguid was said to have been trained by Zulkifli Abdhir in bomb-making.[10] A few weeks later, the group's new leader, Abdullah Nilong, was captured by policemen in Polomolok, South Cotabato.[4]

In October 2017, Maguid's widow, Filipina Karen Aizha Hamidon, was arrested for recruiting fighters and spreading propaganda related to the Battle of Marawi and the Maute group.[11] Philippine authorities attributed 296 social media posts related to "recruiting to the ranks of the ISIS-affiliated Muslim militants" in Marawi to her authorship.[12] Philippine government officials also identified her as a "close associate" of Musa Cerantonio, an Australian Islamic scholar and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant supporter.[13]

Activities

In November 2015, eight members of Ansar Khalifa Philippines were killed in a four-hour firefight against Philippine military units in Sultan Kudarat. One of the dead militants was identified as Abdul Fatah, an Indonesian national.[14]

Philippine security officials have stated that Ansar Khalifa Philippines had cooperated with the Maute group in carrying out the 2016 Davao City bombing.[9] In December 2016, two alleged members of the group were captured by Philippine National Police personnel after a bomb they planted in a trash bin near the United States embassy in Manila failed to explode.[15]

The group is said to have worked with the Abu Sayyaf in carrying out the abortive plan to kidnap tourists in the Visayas region that culminated in the 2017 Bohol clash.[16] Furthermore, they were reported to have contributed fighters in support of the Maute group-led assault that resulted in the Battle of Marawi.[17] In October 2018, Bassir Sahak, an alleged leader of the group was killed in an encounter with state forces in Sitio Lebe, Barangay Daliao, Maasim.[18]

References
  1. SITE Intelligence Group (April 23, 2015). "Ansar al-Khilafah in the Philippines Threatens Philippine Government, American Soldiers". Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  2. Gunaratna, Rohan. "Islamic State to Create Southeast Asian Satellite". BenarNews. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  3. Murdoch, Lindsay (January 6, 2017). "Top Philippine militant who pledged allegiance to Islamic State killed in firefight". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  4. Unson, John (January 18, 2017). "Ansar Al-Khilafa's new leader nabbed in South Cotabato". Philippine Star. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  5. https://www.stateoig.gov/system/files/q3fy2019_leadig_ope-p_report.pdf
  6. Weiss, Caleb. "Philippines-based jihadist groups pledge allegiance to the Islamic State". Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  7. Franco, Joseph (November 29, 2015). "Ansar Al-Khilafah In The Philippines: Name Change Rather Than Game Changer". Eurasia Review. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  8. http://www.moha.gov.my/images/maklumat_bahagian/KK/kdndomestic.pdf
  9. Fonbuena, Carmela (January 9, 2017). "Counterterrorism: Why the death of AKP's Tokboy matters". Rappler. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  10. Fonbuena, Carmela (January 5, 2017). "Top leader of pro-ISIS PH terror group killed". Rappler. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
  11. "Terrorist's widow 'recruited foreign fighters'". Sun.Star Manila. October 18, 2017. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  12. "Philippines Arrests Top Female ISIS Recruiter of Foreign Fighters for Marawi Battle". Newsweek. October 18, 2017. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  13. Dancel, Raul (October 18, 2017). "Philippines arrests top female ISIS recruiter". The Straits Times. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  14. "Eight rebels linked to ISIS killed in Sultan Kudarat". CNN Philippines. November 27, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  15. Aning, Jerome (December 2, 2016). "Bato: 2 'jihadists' planted bomb, one of them 'bothered by conscience'". Inquirer.net. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  16. Gomez, Jim (April 15, 2017). "Philippines: Foiled attack staged by IS-linked extremists". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 16, 2017. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  17. Caleb Weiss (June 5, 2017). "Islamic State video shows destruction of church in Marawi". Long War Journal. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  18. Sarmiento, Bong S. (October 22, 2018). "Alleged IS-aligned militant killed in Sarangani". MindaNews. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
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