Rick Klepper: 678.588.1622 | Doug Wilson: 205.903.3272 | Kerry Gossett: 205.281.5681 | Doug Hughes: 205.527.0876 staff@counterthreatgrp.com

A new front in the war against ISIS continues to develop as the United States is considering drone strikes in the Philippines. As Counter Threat Group, LLC has monitored since June, the inability of a vastly unskilled and outdated Philippine military to squash the presence of a few hundred, battled hardened jihadists in the archipelago has drawn the attention and now a growing involvement of United States resources in the region. The United States recently provided special forces as technical support and over the past five years has extended over $300 million in financial aid. As the linked article below points out the United States has maintained a steady counter-intelligence support structure in the Philippines for over 15 years.

Last week embattled President Rodrigo Dutarte requested from their Congress an increase of 20,000 troops to battle the extremists in his country.

Casualties in the conflict range from 400- 700 including innocent civilians caught in the conflict on the island of Mindanao near the city of Marawi.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-s-may-begin-airstrikes-against-isis-philippines-n790271