News Story: Australia's Border Force to shift focus to IS influence in Philippines - FM

CANBERRA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- As the war against Islamic State (IS) in the Middle East begins to wind down, Australian Border Force (ABF) officials at Australia's major airports will shift their focus to the Philippines, according to Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.

The rise of Islamic State's influence in the southern Philippines city of Marawi is cause for concern for those at Australia's borders, according to Bishop, who said 17 outbound international passengers have been stopped by security before boarding their flights since July 1.

She told News Corp on Wednesday that while the conflict in Iraq and Syria was dying down, the "consequences" of the victory could result in an influx of IS-inspired foreign fighters into the Southeast Asian and Australian region.

"We are concerned that should (foreign fighters) survive, our fear is they will seek to come back to our region. That may well be the consequence of the retaking of al Raqqa and Mosul," Bishop said.

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News Story: Australia offers to train Philippine troops on counter-terrorism

MANILA, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne said on Friday that Australia offered to send military specialists to the Philippines to train Philippine troops on counter-terrorism, reiterating Australia's commitment to support Manila in combating Islamist extremism.

Payne, in Manila for a visit, met with Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana inside a military camp. She and Lorenzana spoke to reporters after her meeting with Lorenzana.

"What we have discussed today is deployment of a small ADF (Australian Defense Force) team that might be able to provide some specialized training to the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines)," Payne told reporters.

"We would be, for example, able to provide that support within Philippine military bases, so, not deploying Australian troops, but working with training ... within Philippine military bases."

Payne said the details of the proposed training activities will still be threshed out by the AFP and ADF "to make sure that we put together an arrangement that works best for both of us."

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News Story: Australian military to provide training, advising assistance in Philippine fight against IS

CANBERRA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Australian Special Forces may go one step further in aiding the Philippines in its fight against Islamic State (IS), as the two sides prepare to discuss training of troops, advising and other assistance.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull confirmed Friday that Defense Minister Marise Payne will be visiting Manila "shortly" to continue discussions on how the Australian troops would be best utilized, after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte formally accepted Australia's offer of assistance to train and advise local troops earlier on the day.

The Filipino army has been engaged in a battle with the extremist terrorist group since May when IS-linked group launched an assault on the southeastern city of Marawi in an attempt to establish its Southeast Asian headquarters.

Australia has been offering support in the form of spy planes and intelligence, but no Australian troops have yet set foot in the Philippines.

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News Story: Australia offers assistance to Philippine troops in local fight against IS - FM

CANBERRA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Tuesday offered for Australia to train, advise and assist Philippines troops in the fight against Islamic State (IS) militants in the southern Filipino city of Marawi.

The foreign minister met with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte during a brief trip to Southeast Asia last week, and on Tuesday said that she had discussed with Duterte the idea of Australian troops providing assistance to their Filipino counterparts.

Bishop told reporters in Canberra that Australia would not provide "troops on the ground," rather act "in the same way" it currently does in Iraq, whereby local troops are trained and advised by Australian specialists.

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News Story: Australia offers additional military help to Philippines

CANBERRA, Australia — Australia's foreign minister said her country has offered to help train the Philippine military in its fight against extremists linked to the Islamic State group.

Australia has already sent surveillance planes to help the Philippines, where the southern city of Marawi has been under siege for months by Islamic State-linked militants. In a recent video, the Islamic State group singled out Australia and the US as key backers of the Philippines military offensive in Marawi.

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News Story: Australia provides $20M worth of aid to Marawi

By Patricia Lourdes Viray

MANILA, Philippines — Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Tuesday announced that their government will provide $20 million worth of assistance over four years to civilians affected by the conflict in Marawi City.

The assistance would also contribute to peace building in the area, according to Australia's top diplomat.

"Yesterday I met with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte in Manila, our second meeting for 2017. We discussed the conflict in Marawi and the impact it is having on civilians in the region," Bishop said in a media release.

Bishop added that the $20-million assistance would be in addition to the emergency food and other supplies worth $920,000 that she announced last June 20.

Around 360,000 people were forced to flee their homes due to the siege in Marawi City following an attack from ISIS-inspired Maute group.

"Australia’s support will help meet the urgent needs of these displaced people including through child protection and counselling services," Bishop said.

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News Story: Australia's top diplomat to discuss Marawi conflict with Cayetano

Julie Bishop (Image: Wiki Commons)

By Patricia Lourdes Viray

MANILA, Philippines — The peace process, the ongoing conflict in Marawi City and counter-terrorism efforts would be at the center of discussions between Australia and Philippines' top diplomats.

On her second visit to the Philippines this year, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will meet with Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and other senior government officials.

"These meetings will strengthen Australia’s relationships with our South East Asian neighbors and advance our economic and security interests in the region," Bishop said in a video posted on her Twitter account.

Bishop will attend the East Asia Summit, Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum and ASEAN-Australia Ministerial Meeting in Manila this week.

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News Story: Aussie military surveillance planes start spotting mission in southern Philippines

AP-3C Orion (Image: Wiki Commons)

MANILA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Two Australian surveillance planes have started gathering intelligence information, including pictures, to pinpoint the remaining Islamist militants in the besieged southern Philippine city of Marawi, the Philippine defense chief said on Tuesday.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told reporters that the two AP-3C Orion planes started their spotting mission last Friday.

"They will be here for two weeks. They are now flying alternately," he said.

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News Story: Philippines, Australia to boost fight vs terrorism

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News Story: Australia, Philippines discuss areas of cooperation

MANILA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Thursday met with Acting Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo to discuss possible areas of cooperation between the two countries.

"We had a very good meeting, a good exchange of views on a wide range of bilateral and regional issues, and also possible areas of cooperation not only between the Philippines and Australia but ASEAN-Australia," Manalo told a news conference at the foreign ministry.

He said that he and Bishop managed "to cover quite a number of points" during their discussions. "And I have to characterize our meeting as positive and certainly bodes well for Philippines-Australia relations," Manalo said.

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