Ramadan in the Philippines: Islamic State jihadis storm Manila hotel, gunfire, explosions
UPDATE: The Filipino police say that the perpetrator was a lone robber, not Islamic State jihadis. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack.
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A Taliban spokesman recently explained: “Our fight is Jihad and an obligatory worship. And every obligatory act of worship has 70 times more reward in Ramadan.”
The Islamic State no doubt believes that as well.
“Tourists shot in ISIS hotel attack: Terrified guests jump from second-floor windows and dozens are injured as Islamists storm Philippines resort popular with Westerners,” by Rachael Burford,Mailonline, June 1, 2017:
Dozens of tourists are feared injured after ISIS gunmen opened fire at a hotel resort near Manila airport.The shooting started at the popular Resorts World Manila in Pasay City, Philippines at about midnight local time and terrified witnesses described a ‘two hour’ onslaught of gunfire.Explosions were also heard coming from the tourist hotpot and bloodied victims were seen being stretchered out of the building.At least one masked gunman reportedly stormed the second floor of one of the complex’s four hotels and fired at guests and staff.Other witnesses reported ‘armed masked men’ in the building’s casino. Footage, posted on social media, shows guests fleeing as gunshots ring out across the resort.ISIS have claimed responsibility for the attack.Kara Verano filmed people running and described a ‘teargas burning’ substance in the air as she and her friends hid in a ‘restaurant storeroom’.Writing on Facebook she said: ‘We were just eating at Bulgogi when we heard gunshots other customers said that there were men coming out of the casino wearing masks and armed.‘We got stuck in the restaurant’s storage room for almost two hours with continuous gunshots coming from outside and smell something is burning.. I wasn’t sure if it was a teargas or something is actually burning.. it was as if impossible to breakout.’Kentron Lopez, who works in the resort, described people jumping from escalators as they tried to escape.Writing on social media, he said: ‘Some jumped out from escalators and the second floor to get out.‘We were few of the remaining people who [got] out of the vicinity. I can only imagine how the rest felt.’Crowds of people ran from the complex as smoke billowed from the roof of one of the hotels, where the second floor is on fire.Resorts World Manila is opposite Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and is one of the busiest airport terminals in the country.‘I heard many, many gunshots,’ Julio Silva, a witness who managed to dash out of the mall complex, told DZMM radio network.The incident is unfolding amid a 10-day deadly siege by Muslim militants aligned to the Islamic State group in the southern city of Marawi.The attack has sparked fears that the militants may attack elsewhere to divert the focus of thousands of troops trying to quell the siege. …
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