joint Filipino-American program aimed at stifling recruitment efforts by Islamic State (IS)-linked militants in southern Philippines would be launched within weeks, a senior US State Department official said.

Filipino and American officials were finalizing the program, while also preparing to release results of a study showing that poverty was not a major driver of radicalization in four southern Philippine provinces, where extremist groups operate, US Assistant State Secretary Denise Natali said in an interview on Thursday with BenarNews, an international news online agency.

Premium + Digital Edition

Ad-free access


P 80 per month
(billed annually at P 960)
  • Unlimited ad-free access to website articles
  • Limited offer: Subscribe today and get digital edition access for free (accessible with up to 3 devices)

TRY FREE FOR 14 DAYS
See details
See details