Fighting continues to rage on the Philippines island of Basilan today, with the military fighting against Abu Sayyaf militants, but the Philippine government insists that ISIS claims of involvement, and claims they killed 100 troops, are “purely propaganda.”
ISIS claimed to have gotten into the area and “detonated seven trucks carrying soldiers,” killing 100 troops in a single go. The government insists that only 46 people have been killed overall in a week of fighting, including both troops and militants.
The Philippine military has been fighting Abu Sayyaf for decades in often bloody battles around the island. The group is seeking autonomy, and the government insists that there is no evidence that Abu Sayyaf has any ties to ISIS.
That ISIS is claiming involvement at all is unusual, however, as they’ve never previously suggested much interest in the Philippines. With US troops arriving in the country, however, that may be changing.