22 terrorists slain in Marawi assault

Government troops killed 22 terrorists slain following an all-out assault in two of the buildings occupied by the Daesh-inspired Maute Group at the Main Battle Area (MBA) in Marawi City last Tuesday, the military bared on Wednesday.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs Office (PAO) chief Marine Colonel Edgard Arevalo said government troopers found the 22 cadavers – 18 in one building and four in another – plus a number of firearms and IEDs (improvised explosive devices) shortly after the assault at the MBA on Tuesday.

He said Philippine National PoliceScene of the Crime Operatives (PNPSOCO) are now checking on the bodies in a bid to identify them.

“Our operating units have first verified that the terrorists are the only ones in the building before they launched the assault,” Arevalo said.

“There were eight firearms seized, two of which are RPGs or rocketpropelled grenades and dozens more IEDs,” he added.

Arevalo also said government troops hope to recover more firearms from the building and the annexes after the ongoing clearing operations are completed.

He said that as of October 11 or Day 142 of the Marawi conflict, the total number of Maute terrorists killed has already reached 802. A total of 827 firearms have also been seized.

Arevalo also said that the number of government forces killed in the Marawi crisis also increased to 160 following the death of an Army junior officer, who was scheduled to marry his fiancée after his deployment to Marawi.

The junior officer, 2nd Lt. Harold Mark S. Juan, died after being hit by a sniper fire on Monday.

The victim, reportedly a native of Isabela province, was advancing toward the defensive positions of the enemy together with other troops when he was hit by a bullet.