Philippines warns of lone wolf attack threat after Marawi victory

More than a week after the Philippines declared victory over pro-Islamic State militants in Marawi, security officials on Friday expressed concern over lone wolf attacks, with Australia issuing a “high threat” alert about travel to Manila.

Skirmishes continued between soldiers and holdouts from the Islamist militant group that seized a lakeside town on the southern island of Mindanao. More than 1,100 people, including 165 troops, were killed in the five-month conflict.

“One concern after Marawi is the possibility of threats from lone wolves,” defence department spokesman Arsenio Andolong told reporters, two days after an Uzbek ploughed into New York pedestrians and bikers in what US officials called a terrorist act.

The army remained on high alert after President Rodrigo Duterte said five cities in Mindanao were potential targets of Islamist militants after their defeat in Marawi, he added.

On Friday, the Australian embassy issued a travel advisory, warning of “a high threat of terrorist attack” in the Philippines, including Manila, the capital.