MANILA – Philippine authorities must be vigilant and make sure that the conflict in Afghanistan won’t spill over to Mindanao, an analyst said Tuesday.

Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research chief Rommel Banlaoi said that the replacement of a slain Maute group leader is now based in Afghanistan.

“With the death of Isnilon Hapilon, he has been replaced by another person, an Indonesian by the name of Saypula. And Saypula is now based in Afghanistan, being coddled by Taliban forces who defected to the Islamic State,” Banlaoi told ANC’s “Dateline Philippines.”

Aside from being an Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) leader, Hapilon was also one of the leaders of the Islamic State-inspired Maute group, which laid siege to Marawi in May 2017. He was killed in a military assault in October that year, according to the military.

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“We should remain vigilant and prevent the situation in Afghanistan to spill over to the southern Philippines,” Banlaoi said.

The security analyst warned that Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan may inspire other extremist groups to commit terrorist acts.

“The victory of the Taliban can also inspire other Islamic groups worldwide to pursue their brand of jihad, that it can happen, that they can also do it," said Banlaoi.

The Taliban declared victory in Afghanistan after taking control of the capital Kabul and President Ashraf Ghani fled the nation on Sunday, marking the Islamist militant group's return to power 20 years after its removal by US-led forces.

- with report from Kyodo News

--ANC, 17 August 2021