Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines to join forces vs militants

JAKARTA, Indonesia: Indonesia is looking to set up joint patrols with the Philippines and Malaysia to prevent Islamic militants who have laid siege to a city in the southern Philippines from entering its territorial waters.
Indonesian military chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo said late Monday that he and Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu would meet next week with their counterparts from Malaysia and the Philippines on Indonesia’s Tarakan island in northern Borneo. He said they’ll discuss increasing security and signing an agreement to step up joint patrols.
The conflict in the Philippine city of Marawi has raised fears that the Daesh group’s violent ideology is gaining a foothold in the southern Philippines, where Muslim separatists have fought for greater autonomy for decades.