Philippines’ Duterte apologizes for urban war in Marawi

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte apologized Tuesday for a military off ensive that has left the nation’s main Muslim city in ruins, but said it was needed to crush militants linked to the Islamic State group ( IS).

Duterte also vowed that US- backed air strikes on Marawi would continue, as the confl ict entered its fi fth week with no sign of an end and its reported death toll climbed toward 370.

“I am very, very sorry that this happened to us. I hope that soon you will fi nd it in your heart to forgive my soldiers and gov- ernment and even me,” Duterte said in a speech at an evacuation centre near Marawi.

The fi ghting has seen Marawi, considered the Muslim capital of the largely Catholic Philippines, turn from a bustling trading center into one resembling war- torn cities in Iraq or Syria.

It began when hundreds of militants waving black IS fl ags rampaged through Marawi on May 23, torching buildings and taking Christian hostages.

Duterte immediately imposed martial law across the entire southern region of Mindanao, home to 20 million people, saying the assault was the start of an IS bid to establish a caliphate there.

The military deployed planes and attack helicopters to blast enemy positions, using American surveillance and intelligence assets.