Jakarta, (Antara) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has deployed a team to help evacuate Indonesian citizens from Marawi City, the Philippines, following clashes between armed forces of the Philippines and an armed rebel group in Marawi.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi stated here on Tuesday that a team from the Indonesian Consulate General in Davao City had arrived in Iligan City, located around two hours from Marawi City, to help evacuate Indonesian citizens from the Philippines.
"We have communicated with the local authority on this matter. However, the evacuation is not yet possible, as the operation is still underway," Minister Marsudi revealed.
As many as 16 Indonesian citizens are currently in the southern Philippines.
Six Indonesians are in the Sultan Naga Dimaporo Municipality of the Lanao del Norte Province, while the 10 others, who are members of Jamaah Tabligh, are in Marawi City of the Lanao del Sur Province.
"We have contacted those 16 Indonesians. They have requested to be evacuated," Marsudi remarked.
"The security and safety of the Indonesian citizens are the highest priority, as we could not conduct the evacuation without cooperation and support from the local authority," Marsudi emphasized.
Director of Indonesian Citizens Protection of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lalu Muhammad Iqbal earlier noted on Monday that no report had been received of the involvement of those Indonesians in the armed conflict in Marawi City.
"They are members of Jamaah Tabligh (JT) who were performing khuruj, an Islamic dawah for 40 days, in the Philippines. The base of the JT happens to be in Marawi," Iqbal clarified.
The Indonesians entered the Philippines legally, and the purpose of their visit had been reported to the local authority, he stated.
On Tuesday evening (May 23), Filipino President Duterte had declared martial law in Mindanao in response to the clashes in Marawi City that erupted on Tuesday afternoon.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana remarked that the fighting in Marawi City started on Tuesday afternoon, as the police and military were moving to serve an arrest warrant on Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon.
He said that members of the Maute Group occupied parts of Marawi City in response, as reported by the Philippine Star.(*)
