Marawi Evacuee Shares ‘They asked me to recite some verses in the Quran and left when they were satisfied’

By Lovely Lao 31 May, 2017 18:00 EDT

In Marawi, Philippines, the tension continues as the ISIS-linked fighting is still unresolved in the city. Mr. Calida said, "What's happening in Mindanao is no longer a rebellion of Filipino citizens" which led to the declaration of martial law by President Rodrigo Duterte in the region of Mindanao.

As the residents of Marawi were forced to flee the city due to the onslaught with 31 dead militants, 11 soldiers and two police officers dated last week, Felipe Villamor reported some of the outcries of civilians who were traumatized by the violence happening within the city which seemed to be more than an issue of religion between Muslims and Christians.

One of the residents who evacuated the city was Jemaliah Batingulo, 36 years old, who shared that when young men wearing mask "barged into nearby homes and began shooting non-Muslims" she immediately took her children and escaped. She said, "There was gunfire everywhere. We all started running and running until the edge of town. We didn't have any food, just water we grabbed before fleeing."

Ms. Batingulo, a Muslim was one among the thousands who is placed at a gymnasium in Marawi serving as temporary shelter for "those who had fled the fighting."

The fighting erupted when Isnilon Hapilon, the leader of an extremist group called Abu Sayyaf was captured by the military and the police, leaving the government in shock because of the "heavy resistance they encountered," Villamor reported.

Moreover, Alinoor Tarip, age 22 also shared that the armed masked men who got inside his house didn't harm them when they told them they were Muslims. "They asked me to recite some verses in the Quran and left when they were satisfied," Mr. Tarip said. He said that they were trapped inside their home for two days and were released holding "white strips of cloth on sticks - to signify they were noncombatants..."

He said that on the streets, he saw dead bodies and a dog was chewing on it.

"My wife cried when she saw our community," Mr. Tarip said.

Moreover, Red Cross official Martin Thalmann said, "It's very difficult to go into the fighting zones to do anything. We understand that there are also the elderly and the sick people who need transport because they cannot walk."

With the violence still on going in the city, Ms. Batingulo said she was one of the lucky person who survived despite the chaos.

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Marawi Evacuee Shares ‘They asked me to recite some verses in the Quran and left when they were satisfied’

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues

2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.