ISIS Cells Are in 'Almost Every Province' of Indonesia: Army Chief

Local authorities in the southern Philippines say as many as 1,500 civilians remain trapped or held hostage in the besieged city of Marawi, as United States special forces joined the ongoing military effort to help end the assault by Islamic militants.

"Together we must act now to prevent this threat from growing", said Mattis at the conference.

Indonesian military chief on Monday (June 12) said the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has presence in almost all provinces across Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country.

ISIS has crowed over the Philippine military's inability to dislodge them from the city.

Duterte, who declared martial law on Mindanao - an island the size of South Korea - after the Islamist fighters overran Marawi, said that under martial law he has authority over the defense department.

A military truck driving past an abandoned hospital is seen through its window full of bullet holes, as government troops continue their assault against ISIS-affiliated militants, in Marawi, Philippines June 12, 2017.

Indonesia's military chief says Jakarta is looking to establish joint patrols with the Philippines and Malaysia for protection against Islamic State.

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines Lanao del Sur in an open letter to President Duterte condemned "illegal searches and seizures in Marawi City by military men, police and other law enforcement agencies which results in rampant loss and deprivation of properties and possessions of innocent civilians".

The Armed Forces said that after the high noon tribute, they will fly the Philippine flag in half-mast in all military camps.

"There is a revelation from a captured Maute (member) that one of the instructions of the Maute brothers, particularly Abdullah, once they occupy Marawi, they will go to Iligan City and kill as many as they can.to show to the world that there is already an existing caliphate in the Philippines", he said.

"Out of 96 barangays (neighbourhoods), they are holding portions in Marinaut, Lulut, Mapandi and Bongolo Commercial District, which only comprise 20% of the whole Marawi City. and it's getting smaller everyday", he said.

As the conflict intensifies, the U.S. embassy in Manila said on Saturday American forces were providing assistance to the Filipino troops, although it declined to give details for security reasons.

The patrols in the waters between eastern Malaysia and the southern Philippines come as the three Southeast Asian countries have been stepping up their fight against such activities blamed on Islamic State-linked rebels based in the southern Philippines.

A Philippines military spokesman confirmed Saturday that the U.S. is providing technical support and intelligence.

The military has said it is aiming to end the siege by Monday, the Philippines' independence day.

It said in a statement it was providing Philippine forces with security assistance and training in the areas of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

Padilla said that, as of Tuesday, the number of security forces and civilians who had died in the battle for Marawi stood at 58 and 26, respectively.

The government had set a deadline of Monday to retake the city.