Rodrigo Duterte declares martial law in southern Philippines to tackle extremists

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has declared martial rule in the country's south for 60 days to deal with with an attack by Muslim extremists allied with the Islamic State group who laid siege to a southern city.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella told reporters in Moscow that the martial law took effect on Tuesday evening, and Mr Duterte will cut short a trip to Russia to return home.