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Report: Philippines’ Duterte Backed Out of Deal With Militants to End City Siege

Allegedly opened backchannels for talks, but backed out without explanation.

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Romeo Ranoco/Reuters

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte reportedly backed out of negotiations with ISIS-inspired militants after they laid siege to Marawi City in May. The president held backchannel talks after the siege began, but the negotiations stopped after Duterte declared in a speech that month that he “will not talk to terrorists.” The city’s mayor told Reuters the talks failed because the militants did not show good faith by reducing their attacks on government forces. So far, more than 400 people have been killed in the violence, including 44 civilians.

Read it at Reuters

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