Australia holds emergency counter terrorism meeting in Indonesia

The Australia government said that the meeting was extremely needed as the number of ISIS-inspired militants is expected to rise in Philippines.

Philippine troops kill 4 Abu Sayyaf militants in Bohol
Picture for representation Reuters

Australia, in partnership with Indonesia, held a counter-terrorism meeting on Saturday to discuss measures on how to end the armed conflict crisis in Marawi City in the Southern Philippines.

The Australia government said that the meeting was the need of the hour as the number of ISIS-inspired militants is expected to rise in the region.

The Saturday meeting was attended by Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and New Zealand to share intelligence reports on how ISIS-inspired militants are determined to set up a regional caliphate in the Southern Philippines.

Indonesia's security officials debriefed Asian journalists, covering the event that the authorities have that the meeting will show the way to prevent the spilling over of terrorism into Philippines' neighbouring regions.

One of the surprising reports presented during the meeting was that hundreds of radical militants in the Southern Philippines were earlier reported to join ISIS fighters in Iraq and Syria in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, In Philippines, the Joint United States Military Assistance Group announced that hundreds of rockets have arrived in the Philippines and will be delivered to the Airforce to be used against ISIS-inspired militants in Marawi City.

Many governments such as China, US, Australia have rushed to support the Philippines upon learning that the ISIS-inspired militants also include foreign nationals such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Middle East nationals.

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