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Phillipines November 24, 2018

Philippine Military Kills Islamists Isnilon Hapilon, Omar Maute

With the fighting in Marawi is drawing to a close, as Filipino military forces rout the remaining Islamist fighters holding onto the last footholds in the city, the military killed two of the leaders of the terrorists who have held Marawi since May 23. According to sources, army snipers killed both Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute in the fighting. The fighting has been bloody … [Read more…]

by · · Military

Special Operations Forces strategic success takes total effort

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SOFREP.com nor of any agency of the U.S. government. Recently I’ve been reading some articles about the United States Special Operations Forces and their lack of strategic successes as the authors spin their own yarns in … [Read more…]

by · · Featured

NAVSOG: The past, present, and future of the Philippine Navy SEALs

Down the street on Sangley Naval Base outside Manila, past the Little Bird helicopters lined up on the flight line, is the home of Naval Special Operations Group (NAVSOG). On the compound on any given day, it is not uncommon to find U.S. Navy SEALs training their Philippine counterparts. It is a relationship that stretches back decades, one that is quickly confirmed while … [Read more…]

by · · Expert Analysis

US Special Forces kicked out of areas of the Philippines

The president of the Philippines just asked for US forces to leave his Southern region. Duterte cites security concerns for both his people and US forces. Duterte also claimed that peace in the Southern portion is unlikely as long as there is a military presence. Relations in East Asia are becoming more complicated all the time it seems. Now, Special Forces have been asked to … [Read more…]

by · · Foreign Policy

Beijing’s South China Sea claims scrutinised at summit

The Philippines and Japan have both expressed serious concern over China's actions in the South China Sea at a regional meeting of Asian leaders in Laos. Hours before leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met China's Premier Li Keqiang at the summit in Vientiane on Wednesday, the Philippines released photos purportedly showing Chinese … [Read more…]

by · · World

Japan strengthens South China Sea security posture

In my previous article on the future of Japanese air power, I mentioned several other non-air programs which are currently upgrading, and will continue to harden, Japan's local and immediately adjacent area.  I spelled out a bit of the details of Japan's increased defense spending, and how that spending would herald a tech-focused military far beyond the scope of anything that … [Read more…]

by · · World

The Hague sticks it to China in the South China Sea

China's hypocrisy knows no bounds.  The Chinese government will chastise America for prosecuting Chinese spies as being fundamentally racist while they openly promote racism and xenophobia inside their own borders.  Perhaps most egregiously, China claims that the natural resources in the arctic belong to the peoples of all the world, however the South China Sea belongs … [Read more…]

by · · World

Freed hostage in Philippines says extremists rejoiced over beheadings

Abu Sayyaf extremists in the Philippines rejoiced as they watched two Canadians being beheaded, a freed hostage has said. Marites Flor tearfully recalled how John Ridsdel and Robert Hall were separately handcuffed and led away to jungle clearing to be decapitated in April and last week respectively. She said Hall was her fiance. “It’s so painful because I saw them moments … [Read more…]

by · · World

Concealment and camouflage tips from Marine scout snipers

Concealment can be natural or artificial protection from enemy observation. One's surroundings may provide natural concealment, which needs no change prior to use, such as bushes, grass and shadows. A sniper can also create artificial concealment from materials such as burlap and camouflage nets. Or he can move natural materials (bushes, leaves, and grass) from their original … [Read more…]

by · · Featured

WATCH: Assassination attempt on Saudi Cleric

The assassin pushes through a crowd of Filipinos walking alongside a white SUV to shoot his handgun through the car’s open passenger seat window at point blank range — and then empties his clip on the other side. His targets? Sheikh Aaidh al-Qarni, a Wahhabi Saudi preacher wanted dead by the Islamic State, and Sheikh Turki Assaegh, a religious attaché at the Saudi embassy in … [Read more…]

by · · World