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11 Indonesians evacuated from clashes in Marawi
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Heightened tension: Military troops scour the site of a roadside blast in the village of Matampay in Marawi City, Southern Mindanao on November 29. Seven military bodyguards of President Rodrigo Duterte and two other soldiers were wounded on November 29 in an ambush by suspected Islamic militants on the eve of his planned visit to the southern Philippines, the military and president said. (AFP/Richel Umel)
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leven Indonesian citizens have been evacuated from Marawi City, the capital of Lanao del Sur province, the Philippines, where intense clashes have reportedly occurred between security authorities and Islamic State (IS)-linked insurgents.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir said 10 of the evacuees were Jamaah Tabligh (JT) members from Bandung, West Java. They had traveled to Marawi to perform khuruj, an Islamic practice of traveling around the world to spread the message of Allah, he added.
Arrmanatha further said that the 10 JT members were hosted by an Indonesian citizen identified only as Yusuf, who was married to a local and had lived in Marawi for several years.
“So far, there has been no confirmation about their involvement with the Maute group, IS, or other terror groups involved in the clashes in Marawi,” Arrmanatha said on Saturday.
Immigration Office spokesperson Agung Sampurno said the 10 JT members had been staying at the AbuBakr As-Siddiq Mosque in Barangay Basak Malutlut village.
“They had notified local authorities about their activities, including Philippine police and military authorities by submitting an official letter from the AbuBakr As-Siddiq Mosque,” he said.
“When the clashes occurred, they were immediately evacuated to another mosque near a police office,” Agung said.
He said all of the 11 Indonesian citizens were now outside of the conflict area in Marawi and under the protection of the police.
“The Immigration Office and Indonesian Consulate General (KJRI) Davos urged them to go back to Indonesia, but they said that they were still considering what to do next,” Agung said. (dis/ebf)
