Militants cling to 20% of Philippines town after 3-week siege
NAN-F-13
Militants
Marawi City (Philippines), June 13, 2017 (Reuters/NAN) Militants control about 20 per cent of the southern Philippines town of Marawi, a top general said on Tuesday, more than twice the area the military cited before.
He suggested that an end to the bloody three-week siege is not at hand.
Islamic State’s news agency, Amaq, said the Philippines military had “completely failed” to regain the Muslim-majority city, which hundreds of fighters allied to the ultra-radical group tried to seize and seal off on May 23.
“Islamic State fighters are spread in more than two-thirds of Marawi and tighten the chokehold on the Philippine army that is incapable of maintaining control of the situation,” it said.
Military spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Restituto Padilla, branded the Amaq report “pure propaganda”.
“Should we take their word that they control two-thirds of Marawi with 202 confirmed terrorists killed, why should we even give them the chance of airing their lies,” he said.
Asked to comment on how much of the lakeside town was still occupied as the siege entered its fourth week, Lt.- Gen. Carlito Galvez, Head Military Command in Western Mindanao, said it was 20 per cent.
“Out of 96 barangays (neighbourhoods), they are holding portions in Marinaut, Lulut, Mapandi and Bongolo Commercial District, which only comprise 20 per cent of the whole Marawi City.
“It is getting smaller every day,” he said.
Padilla had said a week ago that the fighters had been beaten back into just 10 per cent of the town.
The seizure of Marawi by fighters allied to Islamic State, including some from the Middle East, has alarmed Southeast Asian nations.
The southeast nations feared the ultra-radical group on a backfoot in Iraq and Syria is trying to set up a stronghold on Mindanao that could threaten their region.
Heavy gunfire rang out in the downtown area of Marawi on Tuesday morning, and the military continued to target the militants with mortars and helicopter-mounted machineguns.
Almost the entire population of about 200,000 fled after the militants tried to overrun it.
However, the military believes that beyond the checkpoints now fencing off its main roads there are still some 500 to 600 civilians trapped or being held hostage.
Padilla estimated that about 100 militants were still fighting down from the 400 to 500 believed to have stormed the town.
However, even with only “remnants” holding out, progress was slow for government troops because of the urban terrain.
“They will be obliged to move slowly because of the presence of potential civilians in the area who may be used as human shields,” Padilla said.
Former military Chief Rodolfo Biazon had told ABC-CBN television on Monday that the government seemed to be struggling to control the situation in Marawi.
He said “because its porous borders meant rebel forces could move freely in an out of the town’’.
As of Tuesday, the number of security forces and civilians who had died in the battle for Marawi officially stood at 58 and 26, respectively. (Reuters/NAN)
OYE/MST
Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Muhammad Suleiman Tola