Omarkhayam Maute ‘more or less dead’ — Año

THE military chief on Thursday said one of the two Maute brothers who have been leading the terror group affiliated with their family in the Marawi siege has been “more or less” killed by the military in the course of the bloody month-long standoff.

Meanwhile, militants holed up in the besieged provincial capital of Lanao del Sur have been cornered and their firepower is flagging, the military said on Thursday, even as the monthlong battle for control of Marawi City raged on.

In a chance interview on the sidelines of a security meeting in Manila, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief-of staff Lt. Gen. Eduardo M. Año said Omarkhayam “Omar” Maute was likely killed by pursuing state forces while his brother Abdullah Maute is still alive.

“Si Omar Maute more or less patay na ito si Omar Maute. Abdullah [ Maute] is still alive,” Mr. Año said.

Clashes between government forces and the pro-Islamic State (IS) Maute terrorist group erupted in Marawi on May 23 and has dragged on for a month now.

Security officials earlier said the military was “validating” reports that the Maute brothers had been killed, adding there are “strong indications” to that conclusion.

The Mautes had joined forces with Isnilon Hapilon, leader of the dreaded kidnapping-for-ransom gang Abu Sayyaf whom the IS reportedly appointed Southeast Asia’s “emir.”

Mr. Año said he believes Hapilon is still in Marawi despite unconfirmed reports that the terrorist leader may have already fled. “Si Hapilon is still inside,” he said.

The battle in Marawi erupted after the military raided an apartment where members of the ISlinked group Maute were holed up in order to serve Hapilon a warrant of arrest.

The US State Department has put up a $5-million bounty on Hapilon’s head for alleged terrorist acts against US citizens. Early this month, President Rodrigo R. Duterte offered an additional bounty of P10 million for the capture and neutralization of Hapilon on top of all existing monetary rewards from both Manila and Washington.

As of June 21, government casualties have risen to 67 while the number of enemies killed went up to 276, according to authorities. In the course of the crossfire, a total of 26 civilians have been killed by militants.

Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana earlier said eight foreign militants — two Saudis, two Malaysians, two Indonesians, one Yemeni and a Chechen — were among those killed by the military in Marawi.

Mr. Lorenzana said he believes the slain foreign gunmen were “ISIS members” — referring to the other acronym of the Islamic State. — with reports by