The Philippine military is checking reports stating that Malaysian terrorist Dr. Mahmud Ahmad may have been killed after security forces attacked terrorist hideouts in Marawi City overnight, killing 13 Islamic State (IS)-linked fighters.
Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Ano earlier said Ahmad was still in the Marawi battle area last Monday after state troops took out Isnilon Hapilon, IS’ anointed “emir” in Southeast Asia, and Omarkhayam Maute, one of two Middle East-educated brothers at the helm of the alliance of extremist groups.
READ: Head of Islamic State group in Southeast Asia Isnilon Hapilon, Omar Maute killed in Marawi
Intelligence officials described Malaysian Mahmud Ahmad as a financier, recruiter, and weapons expert, who helped put together the coalition of pro-Islamic State fighters that stormed Marawi City in May.
Ahmad and several other foreigners reportedly took over the terrorist assault in Marawi after Hapilon and Maute were killed.
According to Malaysia’s The Star Online, Ahmad was once a lecturer at Universiti Malaya. The report said that Ahmad was second-in-command next to Hapilon. Ahmad, who is a weapons experts, had fled to the southern Philippines from Malaysia in 2014 and had been working with the Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf Group since then.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday announced the liberation of Marawi City, after more than four months of battling IS-inspired terrorists. Marawi City Mayor Majul Usman Gandamra, however, said there are around 11 to 20 remaining terrorists in the city with more than 10 hostages.
with reports from ABS-CBN News
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