Muslim rebels in Philippines vow allegiance to IS

World Today

Members of the Abu Sayyaf pledge allegiance to the Islamic State. Another armed group in the Southern Philippines, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, has offered its support to IS. A few other clips of Filipino Muslims vowing loyalty to IS, including one supposedly shot inside a high security prison , have been making the rounds on the Internet. And there are reports that about a hundred young Filipino Muslims have joined the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, two of whom were allegedly killed in battle.

CCTV America’s Barnaby Lo reports from Manila.

The Philippine military has long battled Muslim extremists in the country’s South. For example, Abu Sayyaf group has been blamed for some of the deadliest bombings and high profile kidnappings. The question now is whether the rise and influence of IS are presenting new challenges.

However, according to the Philippine military, there is no direct evidence of IS recruitment in the country so far.