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WORLD NEWS Monday 12 June 2017

US spy planes help Philippine troops quell siege

By TODD PITMAN above rocket-firing Philip- spokesman for the Philip-
Associated Press pine helicopters that struck pine army’s 1st Infantry Di-
ILIGAN, Philippines (AP) — militant positions, causing vision.
American spy planes are plumes of smoke to billow About 30-40 militants used
helping Filipino troops quell skyward. civilians as human shields,
a nearly three-week siege “We don’t have adequate making it hard for troops
by Muslim militants in a surveillance equipment, so to operate, and also po-
southern city where 13 Phil- we asked the U.S. military sitioned themselves in the
ippine marines were killed for assistance. It’s noncom- city’s many mosques.
in the biggest single-day bat assistance,” military Forty other marines were
loss for government forces, spokesman Brig. Gen. Resti- wounded, Herrera said.
officials said this weekend. tuto Padilla said by phone, Philippine military officials
A U.S. Navy aircraft pro- citing a Philippine gov- say the violence has left
vided surveillance for the ernment policy that bars at least 138 militants and
local troops as the battle foreign troops from local 58 government troops
raged in Marawi on Friday, combat. dead. At least 21 civilians
confirming the involvement The U.S. Embassy in Manila A U.S. P3 Orion surveillance plane flies over Marawi city, south- have been killed, includ-
of the U.S. military in help- said without elaborating ern Philippines. American spy planes are helping Filipino troops ing a boy who was hit by
ing to end the urban insur- that U.S. special operations quell a nearly three-week siege by Muslim militants in a south- suspected militant gunfire
rection at the request of forces were providing help ern city where 13 Philippine marines were killed, officials said inside a Marawi mosque
this weekend.
the Philippine government, to Filipino troops battling (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) where his family had taken
Philippine military officials the Maute and Abu Sayyaf refuge, Padilla said.
said. militants in Marawi. Hundreds of thousands of
An Associated Press jour- “The United States is a of our countries, including house search for militants people have fled the city,
nalist and photographer proud ally of the Philip- on counterterrorism issues,” allied with the Islamic State parts of which were re-
saw a U.S. Navy P3 Orion pines, and we will continue the embassy said in a state- group who are still occupy- duced to rubble by fighting
plane hovering in cloudy to work with the Philippines ment. ing parts of Marawi when and government airstrikes
skies above Marawi on to address shared threats Philippine marines were the battle erupted Friday, in an attempt to dislodge
Friday. The aircraft flew to the peace and security conducting a house-to- said Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera, the rebels.q
Prison attack in eastern Congo kills 11, frees 900 prisoners

By SALEH MWANAMILON- trol over the enemy,” he creased efforts to hold the fight for control in Congo’s the past month. Congo’s
GO said. It was not immediate- group accountable for at- mineral-rich eastern region. police on Saturday said a
Associated Press ly known who carried out tacks in Beni and surround- Sunday’s attack follows group of men attacked a
KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — the attack, although Allied ing towns and villages. others carried out on po- police station in Kinshasa,
Armed men attacked a Democratic Forces rebels Scores of armed groups lice or prison facilities within killing at least two.q
prison in Congo’s eastern are imprisoned there and
city of Beni on Sunday, kill- the group has threatened
ing at least 11 and freeing attacks to free its members.
more than 900 prisoners, a The ADF rebel group was
government official said. founded in neighboring
Eight prison guards were Uganda in the 1990s and
among the 11 dead, said is now based in Congo
North Kivu provincial gover- where it has intensified its
nor Julien Paluku. About 30 attacks. The rebel group
prisoners remained in the has killed more than 1,000
Kangbayi prison following people in eastern Congo
the afternoon attack, he since October 2014.
said. Paluku announced a A Congolese court in March
curfew in Beni and nearby sentenced to death nine
Butembo. ADF rebels prosecuted for
“Only the army and the po- crimes against humanity,
lice have the right to circu- terrorism and participation
late in order to have con- in a rebellion as part of in-