Philippine security forces launch raid on militants in southern region
Philippine security forces on June 10 launched airstrikes and ground assaults on Islamist militants' lair in Maguindanao province in southern Philippines.
Soldiers of the Philippine army go on patrol in Marawi city of the southern Mindanao island (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Philippine security fo♍rces on June 10 launched airstrikes and ground assaults on Islamist militants' lair in Maguindanao province in southern Philippines.
Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, an army commander in charge of the operations, said the pre-dawn assaults on Liguasan marsh destroyed a bomb-making "factory" of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a splinter group of the larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Sobejana added that up to 100 BIFF fighters were in the targeted area during the military assault. The Philippine army is evaluating number of casualties, said army spokesman Maj. Arvin Encinas. BIFF, which has up to 400 members, is among the several militant groups in Mindanao that pledged allegiance with the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) a few years ago. They are active in central Mindanao area, especially in Cotabato city, in Maguindanao, North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces.-VNA
The Maute terrorist group remains a threat to the region although Marawi city of Mindanao has been liberated, warned Armed Forces of the Philippine (AFP) on December 8.
Philippine authorities said on February 26 they are aware of terror threats in the country’s southern region and have kept the situation under control.
At least 44 pro-Islamic State (IS) militants have been killed in clashes between government troops and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in the southern Philippines, said an Filipino army spokesman on March 11.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Soldiers of the Philippine army go on patrol in Marawi city of the southern Mindanao island (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
