Islamic State’s ‘emir’ in Asia possibly killed in Marawi battle, Philippine military says
Academic seen as key fund raiser for extremism
The Philippine military said on Thursday there was a “big possibility” that a top Malaysian militant tipped to become Islamic State’s point man in Southeast Asia has been killed in an overnight battle.
“There is a big possibility that Dr Mahmud is among them but we will only be definite once we have a match of probably DNA samples, maybe of the dental records,” Brawner said.
If confirmed, the death of Mahmud would be a significant blow to any effort by Islamic State, which is on the back foot in Syria and Iraq, to establish a presence in Mindanao, a vast Philippine island where lawlessness, poverty and rebellion have prevailed for decades.
Mahmud, one of Malaysia’s most wanted men, is believed to have been pivotal in funding the siege of Marawi, which has lasted almost five months and killed more than 1,000 people, mostly rebels.
Some experts say he could become Islamic State’s “emir” in Southeast Asia after the death on Monday of Isnilon Hapilon, the head of the militant alliance that laid siege to Marawi.