[Enigma]

(09-02-2016 04:28 PM)britchard Wrote:  

Will be interested in Duterte's reaction. I suspect he will just 'eliminate' anyone remotely linked to the attack, and commit crackdowns on the Islamist groups in the South. It was in his home city too, and I can see him taking that personally as he loves his city.

Less than a week before the attack, he committed 9,000 troops to the small archipelago where they operate in response to a recent string of beheadings.

This is a retaliation/desperation on their part.

The group responsible for the bombings and kidnappings in the country are very small, with numbers estimated around 500, and they don't operate on the mainland.

The larger rebel groups don't tolerate them there.

The problem is the islands are covered in jungles and Abu Sayyaf use ransom money and threats of violence to embed themselves in the local communities and constantly replenish their numbers.