The Minister of defense of the Philippines Lorenzana Dolphin (Delfin Lorenzana) stated that the fighting in Marawi city against militants of the terrorist group “Islamic state” (IG, is prohibited in Russia) terminated. This reports the South China Morning Post.
According to Lorenzana, the military suppressed the last pockets of resistance to the terrorists in the city center. “In Marawi are no more militants”, — he stressed.
In turn, major General Restituto Padilla (Restituto Padilla) said that the army command tried to convince the rest of the supporters to surrender, but they refused and were destroyed. Among the dead were found the bodies of two women — probably the wives of the militants. As writes the edition, perhaps some of the defenders committed suicide to surrender.
On 17 October the victory of the government forces in Marawi, said the Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte, who noticed that the cleanup will continue. A day earlier, the Ministry of defense of the Philippines reported that during the fighting in the city killed the leader of a cell of the terrorist group in Southeast Asia Isnilon Hpilo. It has destroyed the founder of the extremist group “the Mouth” Omar the Mouth.
The battle for the city Marawi commenced on 23 may this year after the city was captured by militants. In five months of fighting there killed at least 1113 people, including 919 militants, 165 soldiers and police officers and several civilians.