The Basilan Attack: First Significant Islamic State Battle In Southeast Asia – Analysis

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Eurasia Review:

Rohan Gunaratna

April 16 2016

 

The self-styled Islamic State (IS) mounted an attack on the Philippine army in Basilan, Western Mindanao, killing 18 and injuring 53 on 9 April 2016. Although Manila did not acknowledge the clash as a fight between government forces and IS, the group that fought the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was led by the IS’ designated leader in the southern Philippines, Isnilon Hapilon, a former deputy head of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). Defence Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and the Armed Forces Chief of Staff flew to Zamboanga City and Basilan the next day.

 

The operation by AFP was poorly executed and demonstrated the lack of appreciation of the emerging IS threat. Last year, on 25 January 2015, the police suffered a similar debacle when 44 Special Action Force Troopers were killed in Mamasapano. Although the operation killed Marwan, the top Malaysian terrorist, it demonstrated the difficulty of AFP effectively operating in Mindanao. An IS press release was subsequently issued on 13 April 2016 entitled “100 Killed from the Philippine Crusader Army in Operations by Soldiers of the Caliphate in Philippines”. Significantly it was signed off in the name of “The Islamic State, Philippines”.

 

Formation of IS Philippines

 

The 13 April announcement by IS Central in Syria/Iraq confirms it as the first official IS entity in Southeast Asia. The group that pledged allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi is led by Hapilon. A RSIS Commentary on 15 January 2016 by the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research had forecast that IS was on the verge of declaring a wilayat (province) of the Caliphate. Until IS officially declared the attacks against the AFP on 9 April, the Government of the Philippines did not take the threat seriously and even denied the presence of IS on its soil.

 

With 125 men led by Hapilon, the newly-created IS nucleus demonstrated that they could hold ground and fight AFP. The IS has been steadfastly influencing and building their capabilities in northern, southern and western Mindanao in the Philippines. In northern Mindanao, Tawhid Wal Jihad has renamed itself as Islamic State of Lanao in Butig. Although IS Central in Syria and Iraq has not acknowledged the Butig-based group as an official branch, the group presents a major threat. It has fought AFP and is currently holding several civilian hostages. In southern Mindanao, Ansar Khilafa Mindanao has also fought with AFP and conducted IS-style beheadings. The group was involved in arms transfers to IS Indonesia and hosted Indonesian instructor Ibrahim Ali Sucipto who was killed in South Cotabato on 26 November 2015.

 

(Snip)