Militants cling to 20% of Marawi as siege continues
Military rejects ISIL’s claim of controlling two thirds of city
MARAWI CITY, PHILIPPINES // Religious extremists control about 20 per cent of the southern Philippines town of Marawi, a top general said yesterday.
That is more than twice the area the military quoted last week, suggesting that an end to the bloody three-week siege is not at hand. ISIL’s Amaq news agency claimed the Philippines military had “completely failed” to regain the Muslim-majority city, which hundreds of fighters allied to the extremist group tried to seize and seal off on May 23.
“ISIL fighters are spread in more than two thirds of Marawi and tighten the chokehold on the Philippine army that is incapable of maintaining control of the situation,” it said.
But military spokesman Brig Gen Restituto Padilla dismissed the claims, branding the Amaq report as “pure propaganda”.
“Should we take their word that they control two thirds of Marawi? With 202 confirmed terrorists killed, why should we even give them the chance of airing their lies?” he said. Asked to comment on how much of the lakeside town was still occupied as the siege entered its fourth week, Lt Gen Carlito Galvez, head of military command in Western Mindanao, said it was 20 per cent.
“Out of 96 barangays [ neighbourhoods], they are holding portions in Marinaut, Lulut, Mapandi and Bongolo commercial district, which comprise only 20 per cent of the whole Marawi City and its getting smaller every day,” he said.
Gen Padilla had said a week ago that the fighters had been forced back into just 10 per cent of the town.
The seizure of Marawi by fighters allied to ISIL, including some from the Middle East, has alarmed South- East Asian nations that fear the group – on the back foot in Iraq and Syria – is trying to set up a stronghold on Mindanao that could threaten the region.
Heavy gunfire rang out in the central area of Marawi yesterday morning, and the military continued to target the militants with mortars and helicopter-mounted machineguns.
Almost the entire population of about 200,000 fled after the militants tried to overrun it, but the military believes that beyond the checkpoints now fencing off its main roads there are still about 500 to 600 civilians trapped or being held hostage.
Gen Padilla estimated that about 100 militants were still fighting – down from the 400 to 500 believed to have stormed the town.
‘ With 202 confirmed terrorists killed, why should we even give them the chance of airing their lies Brig Gen Restituto Padilla military spokesman