Mattis commends AFP for thumping IS in Marawi

 United States (US) Defense Secretary James Mattis on Monday praised the Philippines for its successes in battling Islamic State (IS) supporters, as he began his Asian trip aimed at reaffirming American support for regional allies.

After five months of fighting and claiming more than 1,000 lives, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana declared an end to military operations in Marawi yesterday.

‘’One of the first things I’m going to do when I get there is commend the Philippine military for liberating Marawi from the terrorists,’’ Mattis told reporters on the flight to the Philippines, according to an official transcript.

‘’It was a very tough fight as you know in southern Mindanao (the local region). And I think the Philippine military sends a very strong message to the terrorists.’’

Gunmen who had pledged allegiance to IS occupied parts of Marawi on May 23 in what Pres. Duterte said was a bid to establish a Southeast Asian caliphate there.

Hundreds of insurgents withstood a US-backed military campaign, including near daily air strikes and artillery fire that displaced more than 400,000 people and left large parts of the Islamic city of Marawi in ruins.

Duterte last week travelled to Marawi to declare it had been ‘’liberated’’, a day after the IS leader in Southeast Asian Isnilon Hapilon, was shot dead along with the leader of the Maute group, Omarkayyam Maute.

Mattis flew to the Philippines to attend the 11th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) here at the former American military base. The Philippines and the United States are bound by a mutual defense treaty. But relations have soured under Duterte as he has sought to build closer ties with China and Russia.

Defense ministers from Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Russia are also scheduled to attend the two-day Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) event.

Mattis’ Asia trip, which will also take him to Thailand and South Korea, comes ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Asia next month.

Some American allies in the region have become wary of Trump’s interest in Asia.

Mattis sought to reassure allies.

‘’The US remains unambiguously committed to supporting ASEAN,’’ Mattis said.

“Terrorism and violent extremism remain as challenges in Southeast Asia. Thus, this ADMM will focus on the progress of defense cooperation including the formulation of new initiatives,” Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in his welcome remarks.

“I am honored to chair this year’s meeting especially on this year of ASEAN’s 50th anniversary. Our meeting is an indicator of a robust state of defense cooperation among ASEAN-member states,” he added.