Soldiers launch attacks to clear city of militants
MARAWI, Philippines — Philippine troops backed by armored vehicles and rocket-firing helicopters fought Friday to regain control of a city that has been under attack by gunmen linked to the Islamic State group since a raid earlier this week failed to capture one of Asia’s most-wanted militants.
Rebels have torn through the streets of Marawi since Tuesday night, torching buildings, taking a priest and his worshipers hostage and sealing off much of the city. The violence forced thousands to flee and raised fears of growing extremism in the country.
At least 44 people have died in the fighting, including 31 militants and 11 soldiers, officials said. It was not immediately clear whether civilians were among the dead.
In a sign of the confusion over events inside the city, a local police chief told The Associated Press on Friday that he was alive and well — two days after President Rodrigo Duterte told the media he had been beheaded by militants.
Police Chief Romeo Enriquez said there may have been confusion because his predecessor in Malabang, a town near Marawi, was killed in the fighting on Tuesday, although he was not beheaded.
As authorities worked to clear the city, residents spoke of their terror.
“At night we can hear the gunfire,” said Mohammad Usman, who watched from his home just outside Marawi as thousands of residents streamed out of the city. “I’m just praying that the bullets will not find their way to my house and hit us. I hope that the bombs will not land nearby and harm us.”
Duterte imposed 60 days of martial law Tuesday on the island of Mindanao, which encompasses the southern third of the nation and is home to 22 million people. Marawi has a population of around 200,000.
Duterte warned he may expand martial law nationwide, an unnerving development for many in the Philippines who lived through the rule of Ferdinand Marcos. Marcos declared martial law in 1972 and used it to maintain his grip on power for more than a decade.
The man at the center of the Marawi violence is Isnilon Hapilon, an Arabic-speaking Islamic preacher known for his expertise in commando assaults. He is at the nexus of several militant groups that are trying to merge into a more powerful force.
Hapilon, who is a commander of the Abu Sayyaf militant group, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2014. He also heads an alliance that includes at least 10 smaller militant groups, including the Maute, which have a heavy presence in Marawi and were instrumental in fighting off government forces in this week’s battles.
All these groups are inspired by the Islamic State, but so far there is no sign of significant, material ties.
“We have not seen any concrete evidence of material support from IS,” military spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said Thursday. But he added that the smaller groups “are working to really get that recognition and funds, of course.”
Washington has offered a $5 million reward for information leading to Hapilon’s capture, but he has proved elusive. The Philippines launched an air strike that wounded him in January, but he got away.