Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 26) – The military claimed 31 members of local terrorist group Maute have been killed since the conflict started in Marawi City started Tuesday afternoon.
Head of Joint Task Force ZamPeLan under BGen. Rolly Bautista said government forces engaged in a firefight Thursday morning, which killed 13 more Maute members while clearing two bridges heading toward Bangulo in Marawi City.
“Our troops are doing deliberate operations in areas we believe are still occupied or infested with the terrorist’s presence…I specifically ordered our soldiers to locate and destroy these terrorists as soon as possible,” Bautista said.
READ: AFP: Marawi clearing operations ongoing
Meanwhile, 16 civilians were rescued in Brgy. Kilala, Marawi City, according to the military.
Six soldiers died in the firefights and clearing operations on Thursday, said Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr.
“They made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that the City will be cleared from terror threat and immediately restore normalcy in this part of Mindanao,” Galvez said. “We once more call on the people in the community to join us fight terrorism. Provide your security forces with information that will contribute to the neutralization of these agents of deaths and destruction.”
The clash between local terror group Maute prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law in the whole Mindanao, Tuesday night.
READ: House, Senate leaders receive copy of Duterte’s report on martial law
AFP Chief Gen. Eduardo Año said government forces were going after Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon in Marawi, while the members of the Maute group in the city’s outskirts tried to help the leader.
The military says Hapilon is still in Marawi, where clearing operations are still ongoing.
