ISIS-inspired group in the Philippines takes Christian hostages and kills 9 civilians at checkpoint

A militant group inspired by the Islamic State has taken several Christian hostages and killed nine civilians at a militant-run checkpoint in the city of Marawi in the southern Philippines.

Local residents said that nine civilians have been pulled by members of the militant group from a truck and bound their hands before they were riddled with bullets and left in a field. The residents have identified the victims as Christians, according to World Watch Monitor, citing Filipino news site, GMA News Online.

The militants also raided a church and took a local priest hostage, along with an unspecified number of other people, the Catholic Church said on Wednesday.

"They have threatened to kill the hostages if the government forces unleashed against them are not recalled," said Archbishop Socrates Villegas, the head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, according to Manila Times.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in the southern region of Mindanao on Tuesday after the militants, who have pledged allegiance to ISIS, clashed with security forces and burnt several buildings.

On Tuesday, the militants erected the black flags of ISIS and set fire to a cathedral and three buildings belonging to a college established by the Protestant United Church of Christ.

The militants were reportedly composed of rebels from three extremist groups, namely, Maute, Abu Sayyaf and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

According to Reuters, ISIS has claimed responsibility for the activities of the rebel group on Wednesday via its Amaq news agency.

At least 15 security forces and 31 rebels have been killed in the clashes between the government and the militant group. Some religious leaders have noted that the militants were using Christian hostages as human shields during the fighting.

Duterte has vowed to crush the rebels saying: "Anyone now holding a gun, confronting government with violence, my orders are spare no-one, let us solve the problems of Mindanao once and for all."

"If I think you should die, you will die. If you fight us, you will die. If there's an open defiance, you will die, and if it means many people dying, so be it. That's how it is," he added.

The president said that the martial law in Mindanao, which has a population of about 20 million, could last up to a year. His critics have raised concerns that he may use various security threats as an excuse to impose a form of authoritarian rule.