Top US military commander Admiral Harry Harris warns the foothold the Islamic State group has gained in the southern Philippines is a wake-up call for the region.
The conflict in Marawi City began in late May when hundreds of militants went on a rampage after government forces attempted to arrest a local leader of the Islamic State terrorist movement.
Almost 250,000 people have been displaced by the conflict and 70 servicemen, 27 civilians and 290 militants have been killed.
The Commander of US Pacific Command Admiral Harry Harris, who is visiting Australia, took aim at foreign fighters returning from Iraq and Syria passing on their ideology, methods and resources to local home-grown next generation radicals.
"Marawi is a wake-up call for every nation in the Indo-Asia-Pacific," Admiral Harris said in a speech to the Australian Strategic Policy Centre in Brisbane on Wednesday.
"We must stop (IS) at the front end and not at the back end where the threat can become even more dangerous."
He argued there was more scope for increased co-operation between the US and Southeast Asian countries to eradicate the IS disease before it spread further in the region.
The US is providing assistance, advice and intelligence to the Philippines armed forces, Admiral Harris said, adding it was their fight and they were doing an incredible job.
"I think there is room there for others to help in the effort," he said.
Australia has sent two P3 Orion reconnaissance and surveillance planes to assist the Philippines.
Civilians held hostage by IS militants have been forced to loot homes, take up arms against government troops, and serve as sex slaves for rebel fighters, news agency Reuters reports.
