Philippine forces bomb ISIS-held enclaves

A Roman Catholic priest abducted by Islamist militants who seized parts of Marawi city has been seen alive

Bombardment of enclaves occupied by the militants resumed after an eight-hour truce

Fires erupted and plumes of dark and white smoke billowed against a blue sky as the bombs slammed into their targets

The militants were burning houses, as well as using hostages as human shields Marawi, Philippines, June 26: A Roman Catholic priest abducted by Islamist militants who seized parts of a southern Philippine city has been seen alive, the military said on Monday as troops pressed on with their offensive.

Air and artillery bombardment of enclaves occupied by the militants in the largely Muslim city of Marawi resumed after an eight-hour truce Sunday to let residents celebrate the end of the Ramzan fasting month.

Fires erupted and plumes of dark and white smoke billowed against a blue sky as the bombs slammed into their targets.

But military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herrera said the militants were also deliberately burning houses, as well as using improvised bombs, booby traps and hostages as human shields to delay the troops’ advance, five weeks into the fighting.

Hundreds of gunmen flying the black flag of the Islamic State (ISIS) group occupied parts of Marawi on May 23, triggering bloody street and house-tohouse fighting that has claimed nearly 400 lives according to an official count.

Father Teresito “Chito” Suganob, a Catholic priest assigned to Marawi, was taken hostage along with some parishioners early in the seige of the largely Catholic Philippines’ most important Muslim city.

Herrera, spokesman for the military forces in , said the priest had been seen alive in a part of the city still in the hands of the extremists.