The Philippine military said that the Islamists are locked in one of the quarters in Marawi city, and their elimination is a matter of time. About it reports Reuters.
By words a press-the Secretary of the armed forces of the Philippines Lieutenant Colonel Jo-Ar Herery, the militants left over 100 people, they are running out of ammunition, their fire power is weakening. Under their control less than a square kilometer, all possible ways of withdrawal or breakthrough blocked.
The promotion of the Philippine troops, however, is slow, mainly because of snipers, leading fire from mosques and schools, and active use by insurgents of improvised explosive devices. In addition, Islamists are using captured civilians as human shields.
To prevent the escape of militant leaders in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines have organized joint patrols of border waters. “We fear that they may penetrate into neighboring countries as illegal immigrants or fishermen,” explained the head of the Malaysian command of the Eastern Sabah WAN Abdul Bari WAN Abdul Khalid.
The battle for Marawi commenced on 23 may 2017 after the city was captured by militants who have sworn allegiance to the “Islamic state” (IG, is prohibited in Russia). According to official data, during the fighting killed a total of 369 people, including 67 soldiers and 26 civilians, the rest militants.