Beach Landing Assault

Avoid Mindanao – Western Nations Warned Their Citizen

Alerts from Britain, Canada, and Australia were released this week after President Rodrigo Duterte increased military rule all over the region of Mindanao to fight the rebels.

 Canadian advisory on Monday warned against visiting any part of Mindanao except for Davao. The Canadian government said that there is a severe risk of terrorist attacks and kidnappings the region. It also warned that people should be aware when visiting Davao, where the bombing of night market claimed 15 lives last year.

The region has experienced decades of conflict, with Muslim separatists and communists making violent rebellions, and a small group of Islamic militants recognized as the Abu Sayyaf running kidnap-for-ransom.

Western governments have long informed against traveling to parts of Mindanao, but the new alerts are more extensive as they caution against visiting almost the whole region.

The announcements reflect growing interests that the Islamic State group’s influence is growing in Mindanao.

The British report said the threat of kidnappings and terrorism also issued over the central city of Dumaguete and nearby Siquijor island.
The Australian government advice largely echoed those issued by Britain and Canada.

In a July 18 advisory that warned against traveling to Mindanao, the US embassy in Manila said it had “credible information” that terrorists also intended to conduct kidnappings on the tourist islands of Palawan, Cebu, and Bohol in 2017.