Philippines crisis: Duterte declares martial law on Mindanao in face of ISIS-linked onslaught, by RT.

Militants affiliated with Islamic State are vying for control of the city of Marawi in the Philippines. President Rodrigo Duterte put the island of Mindanao under martial law, ordered in special forces and cut short his state visit to Russia.

Islamist-extremist insurgents from the Maute group are engaging government forces in firefights and the area, which boasts a population of 200,000, is now on lockdown, according to Philippines authorities.

Gunmen take priest, churchgoers hostage in Philippines, vow to kill captives, by RT.

Militants stormed a cathedral [in Marawi city] in the Philippines, taking a priest and several parishioners hostage and are vowing to kill the captives “if government forces unleashed against them are not recalled,” according to the Roman Catholic Church.

Duerte will presumably deal with Islam in the old-fashioned way.