Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The government’s military offensive against the Maute group continues after a clash that wounded two soldiers on Saturday.
The military claims the Maute group is a new Islamist terrorist group in Mindanao. The group is being blamed for the Davao night market blast that killed about a dozen in September.
The armed conflicts that began last week have left eleven members of the Maute group dead and five others wounded. The military reports four soldiers are injured.
Around 50-100 members of the Maute group, according to the military, put the town of Butig in Lanao Del Sur under siege on Friday. They captured an old municipal hall, from which they reportedly raised black flags with ISIS’ insignia.
The terrorists have reportedly occupied a high school, madrasa, mosque, and some houses.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in a statement said they will stop the conflict from escalating and prevent the Maute group from attacking more areas.
Major Filemon Tan, spokesperson for the Western Mindanao Command, told CNN Philippines that airstrikes against the Maute group have started since Friday.
Tan said the military is repositioning now to conduct more airstrikes and contain areas occupied by the Maute group.
Marine Col. Edgardo Arevalo, chief of the AFP Public Affairs Office, said the Maute group’s use of ISIS flags is “part of [its] agenda in courting support and encouraging similar minded individuals to support” the international terror group.
In an interview with CNN Philippines, Brig. Gen. Resituto Padilla said troops led by Col. Roseller Murillo have been trying to clear the Butig area so that no civilians are harmed.
Padilla said there are a few displaced families, but areas where skirmishes are ongoing have been abandoned by civilians since the clash between the Matute group and the military in February.
The earlier clash killed 20 terrorists and felled three soldiers. Around 7,800 individuals were displaced due to the encounter.
President Duterte, for his part, wants to push peace talks with rebel groups. He reaffirmed this Saturday night during a speech at San Beda College.
“What will we do? We will just have to wait. We will just have to talk and talk. What we will pass on to the next generation is a talking administration,” Duterte said.
Padilla supports Duterte’s peace talk-strategy, saying Duterte “wants to show a strong stand.”
“Kapwa Pilipino po ang mga ito. Mas mabuti po na nag-uusap kesa nagbabakbakan [These are fellow Filipinos. It’s better if we talk rather than fight]…(Duterte) can do so much but if given a chance, he’d rather enter into talks rather than go on killing each other,” Padilla said.
CNN Philippines’ digital producer Karmela Tordecilla contributed to this report.
