Philippines says battle with Islamic State fighters is nearly over

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine forces said they were in control of most of Marawi, the southern city where almost 100 people were killed and 60,000were displaced after fighting in the past week between the military and extremists linked to Islamic State.

“Our ground commanders have assured that the end is almost there,” Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said Monday. Government troops are in control of Marawi “except in certain areas” that militants hold, making “surgical air strikes” necessary, he said.

Nineteen civilians, 18 government fighters and 61 extremists, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said, making it the worst in the Mindanao region in almost four years. Almost 400 residents were rescued from Marawi, the most crowded city in the autonomous Muslim area with a population of 200,000.

President Rodrigo Duterte put Mindanao under martial law last week as insurgents in Marawi with Islamic State flags burned buildings, occupied offices and freed more than 100 inmates from jail. Duterte said Saturday that military rule, limited by the Constitution to 60 days, will remain for as long as necessary, and that the Supreme Court and Congress must not intervene.

Fighting in Marawi started last Monday as state enforcers tried to capture Isnilon Hapilon, a commander of the Abu Sayyaf militant group who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. Duterte said Marawi is home to the Maute group, which is led by brothers who were former Manila cops and later became drug traffickers to fund their terrorism.

The crisis is turning out to be the worst for Mindanao since the 2013 siege in Zamboanga City by Muslim rebels loyal to Nur Misuari, a conflict that led to the deaths of at least 203 people and burning of 10,000 homes.

Duterte said on Saturday that he is open to Misuari’s offer to augment government troops with his own fighters.